Moments Throught a Dirty Windshield

[Retired Grunt]

Here is a photo basically explaining the theme of a project I have been doing since 2013. I hope in this medium of a forum it can be read. If not, I will paste the doc in a post and weekly I will post photos from the project.

Photo’s began when I purchased a Canon 7D in 2013, then a 6D, a Fuji X-T2 (which I broke) and 3, then an OMD-EM1 Mk III.

[Retired Grunt]

[LightandShadow]

Interesting way to engage with life–and I suspect harder than it looks. Drive carefully.

I really like the triple view here.

[Robert Apple]

An interesting project for sure, Lomography from a vehicle, I’m with Steve on the above , like the triple Scenes.

[Retired Grunt]

Thank you. I do keep my eye on the road and just lift the camera up and point in the direction I am hip shooting. I’ve missed, or got half what I wanted, more times than I can count.

[Tersha]

Hi, I read the doc easily enough. Interesting idea, I like the first one, are you going to be posting more?

[Retired Grunt]

Yes, most likely 1 or 2 a week.

[Tersha]

🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Could read the document and love your project!

The photo you have posted is interesting with the various layers 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I love the project and I love that first example. This is what photography is all about.

Just please be safe while you’re doing this.

[Retired Grunt]

New week, might as well post 🙂

From 2017, shot with a Canon 7D.

I was on my way home and saw that the pond on an Amish farm was being cleared off. Every year around January – February, they cut large chunks of ice and stack them on their wagons and load them into underground cellars that are used as coolers for all their personal food. This keeps their food fresh all spring and all through the summer.

Another shot from January 2025, with the X-T3. Same pond.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Great story and thank you for sharing. Love the photos too 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

These are very cool.

[Patrick]

These are magic moments 🙂

[Tersha]

And 8 years later they’re doing the same thing!

[Retired Grunt]

This is Jimmy or Jimbo for a nickname. While waiting in the Walmart parking lot, we began to talk. Talked about how he’s looking for work but hasn’t found anything steady. Presently saving up for a bus ticket home to Oklahoma and get back to his Navajo lands.

While talking, I asked if I could take a photo of him to add to my MTaDW Project, explaining that any picture I take from a vehicle is part of that project. He was happy to oblige and I snapped the shot.

The next shot is more candid, as he was in the midst of explaining how he does sheet rock work.

 

[Robert Apple]

In general I don’t find People Photos all that interesting , that’s why I rarely take them, but got to say I find these particular Photo’s compelling, I’ve spent a fair amount of time with the Dine’ in AZ and NM. Always enjoyed my time with them.

[Retired Grunt]

@robertapple

Jimmy is the only person I’ve spoke with, that made the project. All others, even if they were looking my way, I was driving by or parked a distance away. Some have even waved at me as I snapped the shot.

 

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Especially like that top one @retiredgrunt but looking at these along with the story they become something very worthwhile I think.

I honestly think I’m gonna enjoy the hell out of this whole series that you are doing.

[Retired Grunt]

@admin-2

Thank you Rob. Over the years, there are photos that stand out more than others for me. Then, when friends or anyone who’ve I showed the many photos too, the one’s that I’d pic last to show off, they stand out to others.

It’s a mystery that we all face, I guess.

[Retired Grunt]

July 2024 – rainy day and driving around the downtown area. They were rushing to get into the coffee shop.

Oct – 2024 – I’ve used this building for reflective shots in the past (and present). I saw the person on the bike coming up the sidewalk as I sat in traffic and waited for him to enter, the “framing.”

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the composition in these photos. Stunning street photography 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

These are also great. Heading towards hard-core street photography – a genre I’ve always personally found extremely challenging. It’s enjoyable where you see others who are skilled at it.

[Retired Grunt]

@admin-2

Thank you. Many are of people and I will post more that are people centric.

[Retired Grunt]

The middle of week 3.

This is while passing by a church in another town.

Here is the same church, while on the other street about a week later.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Very unique – it is so hard to get original compositions in architecture shots, but you have nailed these.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the composition on the first one is. And, photographing through the window and getting this shot is awesome 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

@dahliaambrose

I do like that 1st one also. Timing is the toughest aspect of this project. Traffic was slow, so I was able to wait for perfect timing. But when I’m doing 60mph and I’m holding the camera at arms length, aimed at the passenger window as I’m about to pass what I want as a photo. Keeping my eyes on the road and anticipating when to push the shutter… the hits are the best, and there are many misses I regret.

But, that is the thrill of this project.

FYI, the pole on the left, with the extension leaving the frame to the left. At the end of that extension, is the traffic light on the end of the pole, in the 2nd photo.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Wow! Thank you. You got both the photos driving around that pole!

Can understand how you feel about the missed shots, but the photos you have made under these tricky situations are really outstanding! 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

I’m gonna toss this in also. Perspective of that church from the far end of the downtown as I’m about to enter the square.

To the right of me is the building I’ve posted reflective shots in Patrick’s thread. The photo of the bike in this thread, is the building to my right.

This was taken in May 2025.

[Patrick]

Very sorry to only get to look now RG , lovely work , i love this last wet street view frame , lots of lovely textures you have captured throughout this selection of images , keep on with the good work mate and i won’t take as long next time 🙂 Thanks for sharing its nice to have a another mono member with us 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I’m starting to really love this series – I always check in on Patrick and Robert to see what their latest contribution in their series and I’m definitely adding this one to my daily routine. Keep them coming.

[Retired Grunt]

@admin-2

I’ve been checking Patrick’s threads daily also. Thank you for putting this thread in your rotation. Pretty much each Sunday and Wednesday I’ll post photos.

[Patrick]

😀 good stuff , will take note 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

@patrickw-2

Hooah!

[Tersha]

Really enjoying this thread RG, great set of photos, each one makes me stop and think.

[Retired Grunt]

@tersha

Thank you. Over the many years of doing this project, I look back over the photos and think… wow, did I take that photo?

I feel it’s a thought in all photographer’s minds about the freedom to take candid pictures without any hesitation. I have found that hip shooting allows this freedom. I’ve done it both on the streets while walking in public but with this project, it’s as if the freedom is on a greater level of freedom.

[Retired Grunt]

Week 4:

Well it’s after midnight, so that means its Sunday 🙂

These two photos are from my Canon 6D days. While driving around, first on a back road frequently utilized by the many Amish in our area and the second is while in the downtown of where I live.

And a third photo because there are so many to choose. I can’t remember where I was when I took this.

[Patrick]

Really good frames RG , real nice frame of the horses in motion 🙂

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the third photo a lot and the others are great too. Beautifully composed RG 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

Yeah, the weather does not stop the Army. Some photos from about 10 years ago while driving on post, headed to where I worked.

[Patrick]

These are excellent RG , really liking how you work and thank you for updating … Have a nice holiday season mate , going to take a short break but will catch your thread soon again 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

Week 4:

While in or traveling to South Carolina two years ago to visit my father, here are two shots (of many), that I took.

First is when a cop showed up and pulled along side a person walking through a store’s parking lot while my wife was shopping. Only having my 16mm, it’s a ways off but the person was handcuffed and put into the back of the vehicle.

This next photo is while driving home. I was an 11M in the Army for most of my career. So when I saw a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on this Hett, I had to take a shot while I was about to pass by.

[Retired Grunt]

And for a random 3rd photo:

Sometimes, a person looks right at me and I raise the camera anyway… click!

[Retired Grunt]

Taken about the middle of November 2025, a storm was raging just on the other side of this elevated hunting blind. FYI, drove by it last week and it has been blown over by a severe windstorm.

 

I happened to see a buddy of mine driving by so… click.

 

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Loving this series RG and the stories behind the shots 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

@dahliaambrose

Thank you Dehlia!

[Patrick]

Nice work once again RG , still trying to get myself moving again after xmas it is slow but i will pick up 🙂 it’s been a long year mate just enjoying some lazy time before it all starts again haha

[Retired Grunt]

I saw this photo earlier, or was it yesterday since it’s after midnight?

Anyway, the reason why I will link this photo, is because of photos that fall within this genre of photography. If you want, post the photos and we all can view our efforts of taking shots from a vehicle!

The photo is from @stef and is #post-544126

[Retired Grunt]

Week 5:

This first photo is while driving on the south side of Syracuse NY, where whole new bypass roads are being constructed. Several photos have been taken, here is one that stands out to me.

Driving downtown where I live, drove around this photographer who had positioned himself in the road to take a shot of a restaurant.

[Retired Grunt]

As the Sunday bonus, since 2013, this is the only color MTaDW photograph. While waiting in the mall’s parking lot for my wife… click.

[Patrick]

This colour frame has a lovely old vibe to it the rain on the screen is gorgeous

[Retired Grunt]

Thank you! I was using the Fuji and tried my various saved presets, 5 of which are color (believe it or not) and this one looked the best.

FYI, the MTaDW photos are jpeg files and I do mainly exposure, contrast, white/black adjustments, and masks for dodging and burning until the image has the vision I have for the photo.

On the Fuji, I have two B/W profiles only. One I call, BWLegend which is based on Daidō Moriyama’s drama like photos. The other I call, CleanBW which is a more traditional BW image.

 

[Patrick]

I have tried the various Moriyama’s recipes knocking about , i have been using the same mono simulation called newspaper for a good while now from Kevin Mullins.

[Retired Grunt]

I’ve checked out Kevin’s recipes but since I have a X-T3, some of the settings are unavailable. As for the Moriyama recipes, I found one and of course adjusted it for my camera and preferences.

[Patrick]

Yeah some have certain things that other models left out or changed , but whatever your using its on the money but it’s no good without the eye that is using it 🙂

[Robert Apple]

Quite like this one RG. The rain distortion is great.

[Retired Grunt]

Yeah, I have many with rain distortion. Friends over the years have pointed out they like the distorted/abstract ones the most.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the textures and distortion caused by rain and the film look RG 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

Hooah, Thank you.

[Retired Grunt]

Crazy day on Wednesday. Completely forgot about the middle of the week post for this thread.

The following three photos are a series of shots. I had a trooper behind me for some distance and then his lights came on but he sped by me instead, whewww.

About 5 miles down the road I saw two patrol vehicles off to my left and then as I passed by, at a slow speed, took the final photo.

[Patrick]

Thanks for sharing RG , i notice the police seem fairly relaxed i hope the fella is ok , could be having a hard time on a personal level.

[Robert Apple]

I get the feeling they are telling him to grow a pair !

[Retired Grunt]

I just prayed, all that was needed was a good pep-talk and a better perspective of life choices, positive advise from the officers.

[Robert Apple]

A good thought and prayer RG.

[Anne Hornsby]

Amazing project, RG.   So many grab me, I can’t identify a favorite.

[Retired Grunt]

@annehornsby

Yeah, it’s hard to have a favorite because a day or week later, a photo is taken that replaces a previous fav 🙂

[Patrick]

Sometimes that can wiggle its way down to a few hours for me lol

[Retired Grunt]

I have several photos with rain distortion, so I’ll post three of them. When I have a camera in all manual and zone focused, the distortion is minimal. The first photo is representative of this. When I have the camera set to ca-f, then the distortion is magnified.

This next photo I’ve titled, as it is to me, a favorite.

“Lady With Her Umbrella”

Drove by this dude… click.

 

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

The first one almost has that look as if it were taken 100 years ago. I really love the effect.

[Retired Grunt]

@admin-2

Hooah, that photo did look cool sooc even. Still, some contrast, white and black adjustment and it does have an older look.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

I love photographing through raindrops on glass. Such an atmospheric mood. Love these photos RG 🙂

[Retired Grunt]

Thanks Dahlia!

[Patrick]

They all have their own lovely mood , nice share RG

[Retired Grunt]

Middle of Week 6:

Driving home and one of the farmers was harvesting the corn grown for cattle feed. Just grinding it up. As I drive by, I hoped my timing would be correct because these types of shots are the true hit or miss.

This time an Amish farm. Wonder what they’re talking about?

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Solid shots, indeed. It certainly looks like a hard slog for that Amish family.

[Retired Grunt]

Hooah, I’ll be posting more of the Amish. The kids are the best. We stop in at a local Amish farm weekly to buy eggs and such and the kids always yell out, “Ken and Michelle are here!” Then come running up to us if they aren’t doing errands.

I can’t get portraits, and if I do ask, they most likely will have their back to me while they are working. Been trying to get some photos of an Amish farmer I know more, to allow me to get shots when he’s boiling off the maple sap for syrup. But as I drive around the county and point and shoot, I’ve got some good shots.

[Author]

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