The Summer Commute

[FootLoose]

I have done a little bit of 'creative' processing with this shot to bring out what I was feeling at the time. We had had about 15 straight days of hot weather with cloudless, claustrophobic blue skies and this day was starting out to be another one. It was relatively early in the morning but already I found I was seeking shady spots as I walked the streets, and the glare was becoming blinding (for my eyes, at least). So, I have attempted to accentuate the glary light and the feeling of the heat.

I was standing under a tree, framing the distant traffic when the cyclist entered the frame from behind me and gave me a fleeting focal point for the shot.

(Probably best 'felt' in lightbox)

[Donald]

I think you've achieved your aim very well indeed. You can feel the heat starting to build up.

Only thing I'd change would be to give it a slight clockwise rotation to the straighten up that pole at the left. As you can see it leans over towards the edge of the frame the higher it goes. Same as the one on the extreme right.

[dje]

Greg I think this image does tell a story. It takes me back to when I was in the workforce heading off on a hot summer morning. Glad I'm not there now !

Dave

[FootLoose]

Donald and Dave, thanks for commenting. I wondered if any members in the north of the planet would appreciate the signs of heat, given the harsh winter there.

Donald I did nudge the frame slightly to make the poles vertical but then everything else seemed to lean to the right. I have pretty much given up worrying about poles now. I generally assumed they are pretty close to vertical and adjusted for them, but then one would be vertical and another would be way off. It was extremely frustrating and I got to a point where I took particular notice of poles whenever I went out and noticed that very few are in fact vertical. The lean on the one you see here is probably pretty close to how it is.

[Donald]

Donald and Dave, thanks for commenting. I wondered if any members in the north of the planet would appreciate the signs of heat, given the harsh winter there.

What the picture did was prompt me not to think about warm days here, but about the heat begining to rise in places I have visited. And what I realise is that is is because of the light. The light in this image is a light we do not get and in my mind is associated with a very hot day ahead.