Mileposts – A Personal Project

I came up with this idea for a personal project where I include a milepost in each shot after making it a weekly challenge in a photography group. I think I saw the idea somewhere for the weekly challenge, but it made me think. As I was looking for the perfect shot for this challenge, I started really seeing what was around me as I drove down the highways. It made me realize that even though we are familiar with the areas we drive in daily, we don’t usually stop and look around to really see what’s there. The photo I ended up taking for the challenge was my Mile 9 image. It is an HDR Panorama and has been popular. I sold a print of it to a lady and she suggested that I make a coffee table book out of these sort of pictures. That’s how this picture changed how I look at the world flying by my window.

I took that years ago and can see some issues with it, but I wanted to share it for context. Now when I am driving, I always try to look around when there’s a milepost coming up. Also if I see some great landscape, I look for a milepost to get in the shot. There are a couple challenges with this project. First is the time issue. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and I feel even more sad when I decide not to stop and get that great sunset shot when I see that there’s a milepost there also. Second, In Idaho many of the roads and highways don’t have anywhere to pull over for miles on end. I will see a great shot with a milepost and then drive around skinny corner after skinny corner and not find anywhere to pull off. That one drives me nuts. Another thing that happens is that I will pass up a nice turn off spot and then see a good milepost shot but not any more turn off or turn around spots.  It has taken me a couple of years to get the images I have because of these reasons. I took the following image while I was riding my Harley to see my uncle in Colorado.

This one was on the way home from Boise and I talked my wife into pulling over twice for milepost shots. I’m so glad that she supports me in my passion.

This next one I got while on a day trip going toward Elk City with my daughter so that we could take pictures together. It was cold but well worth it.

I have many other images in this project and I will be adding more as time goes by. Be sure to check out my Full Gallery. Im going to close this post with one more shot that I took on the way home from Boise one time. For years I have thought these pointy trees were kinda creepy, especially when it’s dusk or dark. When I was passing by this time I couldn’t resist the shot.

Sure it’s a little noisy but I feel that the noise adds to the creepy feel.   I encourage you to look around and see what’s out there while your zooming by, just don’t look too long while your driving. 😉

Have you ever taken a picture with a milepost in it?