Dead End

Life on a quiet country road.

Photo captured in Maple Park, Illinois.

Tags: country, dead end, gravel, life, metaphor, photography, road, rural, sign

18 thoughts on “Dead End”

Santi on April 23, 2012 at 2:28 am said:

Fantastic image!!! I like very much the composition, DOF and tones. Great concept!!!

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- Brian Gaynor on April 23, 2012 at 7:49 am said:
  
  Thanks so much, Santi!
  
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Tammy on April 23, 2012 at 7:45 am said:

Wonderful processing!

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- Brian Gaynor on April 23, 2012 at 7:49 am said:
  
  Tammy, thank you!
  
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anotherthousandwords on April 23, 2012 at 10:16 am said:

Your beautifully-toned shot also says an awful lot about rural (family farm) life…and how that lifestyle (of hard work, long hours, and low pay) is slowly disappearing.

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- Brian Gaynor on April 23, 2012 at 10:52 am said:
  
  Thank you for the lovely words, which express the emotion I was attempting to convey.
  
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  - anotherthousandwords on April 23, 2012 at 11:02 am said:
    
    Happy to help!
Polly Hoyt Nance on April 23, 2012 at 7:30 pm said:

So great!! I love how you cropped the photo… With the sign becoming dominant and the focus of the composition… And then you see the path on thr left. The yellow tone works exceptionally well here. I feel like I’m at a DEAD END right now… HA! Wonderful post and great work! 🙂

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- Brian Gaynor on April 23, 2012 at 9:04 pm said:
  
  Polly, wonderful words! Thank you so much.
  
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Lucianus Mauricius on April 24, 2012 at 12:37 am said:

Ok this of course is an amazing shot, both in color and detail. What captured my attention though, was the interesting feature of a seemingly never ending road with a “dead end” sign on the side of it, truly remarkable. Can be used as a metaphysical wit regarding existence and purpose, as well as aim and meaning in life. Absolutely amazing shot in regards to all the aforementioned details.

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- Brian Gaynor on April 24, 2012 at 8:11 am said:
  
  Thanks for the comment and reblog. Your observation regarding the contradictory nature of the endless road and the Dead End sign is noteworthy. Perhaps we are “condemned to be free” as Sartre observed, implored to act and continue down the never ending road despite the obvious signs around us.
  
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  - Lucianus Mauricius on April 24, 2012 at 9:21 am said:
    
    Those who know the truth are in some sense “condemned” to to be free in a world which is not, and does not allow that freedom to flourish, this is the agony of those few human minds still thinking outside the matrix…
Lucianus Mauricius on April 24, 2012 at 12:38 am said:

Reblogged this on Infernal Deity of a Psychotic Mind and commented:
Ok this of course is an amazing shot, both in color and detail. What captured my attention though, was the interesting feature of a seemingly never ending road with a “dead end” sign on the side of it, truly remarkable. Can be used as a metaphysical wit regarding existence and purpose, as well as aim and meaning in life. Absolutely amazing shot in regards to all the aforementioned details.

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Josy on April 28, 2012 at 10:22 am said:

Cool shot— I’m especially fond of the composition here!

Was the background blur from the original shot, or did you add that in post’? It looks a little unnatural to me, which is a little unsettling, but it works either way, ‘cos of the subject and mood of the photo.

Nice one, man. 🙂

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- Brian Gaynor on April 28, 2012 at 10:53 am said:
  
  The background blur was from the original shot. Aside from the obvious color adjustments, there is not much processing here. It does seem a bit unsettling, but I think the road itself is somewhat unsettling. Thanks, Josy.
  
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themofman on April 28, 2012 at 4:00 pm said:

Country living a dead end? Say it isn’t so! I think, town council needs to have a word with the planning department.

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- Brian Gaynor on April 29, 2012 at 8:56 am said:
  
  Certainly not a dead end, but it can be quirky! Thanks, Allan.
  
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