Plans don’t always turn out

The guys at Martin Farms Mechanic (the last place I was photographing abandoned cars), suggested I head up to a field north of Renfrew. Being local boys, I figured they had a good grasp on what was up there. While preparing for the trip, I checked the route in Googlemaps and zoomed in for a satellite view: wow, lots of wrecks at the site.

But! Yes, isn’t there always a but? Some time in the last 30 years, a fellow moved in. He lived in a trailer in the field next door, and had spread out: gardens of vegetables, coops home to chickens, turkeys, rabbits and a racoon filled the gaps between the abandoned farm trucks and equipment. And the gear that was still there? Filled with boxes and other junk. Pretty much a bust for full-scale car photography.

So what do you do when your hopes and dreams are dashed by a cruel, cruel world? Well, for me, gruel is right out. Not even an option. If you can’t find some suitable subjects, try looking in close: narrow your field of view and look for shapes, textures and eye-catching contrasts.

Didn’t bring other lenses to help you capture these closer images? No? Doesn’t matter: use what ya brung: the exercise will help you get more familiar with the gear you’ve got, as well as force you into different perspectives.