Thursday, May 31, 2012

Photographing Route 66


The Main Street of America


Before the advent of the modern highway system, during the first Golden Age of the Automobile, a new roadway captured the imagination of the American traveler.



Route 66, also known as the Main Street of America, stretched 2,451 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles and opened up The West to a new breed of adventurer.

More than an interstate thoroughfare, Route 66 symbolized key values of Twentieth Century - independence, self-expression, and the lure of the open road.

For the first time in human history, one person traveling alone could cross a continent within a few days, no longer bound by the timetables of ships and railroads.

A new spirit of American individualism shifted into high gear and never looked back.


a photo of a ford edsel on historic route 66 in arizona


a photo of an elvis statue on historic route 66 in arizona


a photo of an antique gas station on historic route 66 in arizona


a photo of the visitor center in seligman arizona on historic route 66

a photo of a bench on historic route 66 in arizona

a photograph of a mural along route 66 in williams arizona

Edsels.  Chevrolets.  Roadside garages with resident mechanics.

A simpler era.

A different time.

A time that still exists on Route 66.

a photograph of an old chevrolet on route 66 in seligman arizona


a photograph of a sign on route 66 return to the fifties


a photo of a motel sign on historic route 66 in seligman arizona



Camera:
            Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lenses:
            24-105 f/4L IS
            70-200 f/4L IS


Light happens.  Be ready.  Shoot hard.


Copyright © 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


2 comments:

  1. Uh-Oh, Daniel - very cool photos!
    And I love the slogan "... shoot hard"

    - sweet..

    When did you go there? Where was this?

    Irina
    http://blog.irina-smirnova.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind comments!

      I was in Arizona in January of this year. I decided to stop by Route 66 on the day that I drove back to Vegas from Grand Canyon. The weather was cloudy, but luckily I found some interesting towns to photograph. You never know what might happen!

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