In March I will celebrate my third anniversary of blogging. Blogging has taught me a lot about many subjects but it's probably taught me the most about myself. While I think that I am racing through life not making today count, I re-read my blogs and am reminded of exactly where I was. I have gained so many true and dear friends because of the modern medium.
That's the beauty of photography as well. It allows us to relive an occasion or place or an emotion over and over.
When we began to pull together this blog (Focusing on Life) one of my main goals was to encourage others to stop -- STOP -- yes I said STOP!! and look exactly where you are in your life and find the beauty in the ordinary. Find beauty in the imperfect. Find beauty in a weed. (hence my Thistle)
I had to teach myself to stop looking and start seeing.
Keeping an open mind helps us to start seeing again. As we venture out with our camera we can develop our own artistic style. Artistry is seeing and also composing. You will know a good composed photograph because your eye will be guided to the subject and in a poorly composed photo you won't know what the subject is.
Objects, like my thistle, that used to seem mundane will now have power because they were composed correctly.
It's been said that good photos say more about the photographer than the subjects.
Our camera is objective and our brain is subjective. Challenge yourself to find something that you may not have found worthy of photographing. Maybe just your coffee cup in the morning; and see how, when you take the time to compose,this often over looked item can become a note worthy subject matter.
Do you thoughtfully compose your photographs, or are you simply just snapping away hoping that one of the shots will be a keeper?
We will continue to encourage you to grab your camera and purposefully find a creative subject -- find the beauty -- it's right there in front of you! Get your feet moving and take your camera on a purposeful and seeing adventure.
14 comments:
Was that meant for Al Hunt????
Oh, Claudia! Anyone who has picked up a camera knows exactly what you're saying here. My family just rolls their collective eyebrows at the things that I take pictures of. Now at least they've stopped making smart aleck comments. But, yes, I notice so many more seemingly mundane but beautiful things in the wonderful world around me. And being able to capture some of it, well, that's the icing on the cake. And best of all, we not only learn more about who we are, I believe we become better people for doing this. I know I have. And my happiness is more complete because of this. Life is good.
Yes, there is beauty everywhere, in the people, the places and the things that surround us and when I look through the lens of my camera I discover miracles. That is the very reason I started my blog -to share things people look at but do not see.
My camera has taught me that if I stand where I have always stood, nothing will ever look different. Beautiful photo....funny how weeds really are beautiful when you look with a different perspective!! Wonderful post.
Hi Claudia,
Your photograph is beautiful, as always. I think that blogging has been responsible for me to become more mindful about my photography. Certainly it has introduced me to textures and enhancements that I would not have discovered otherwise. The exposure to good photographers like yourself and taught me to look closer at my work. As I began to develop my own style, I felt as if I was also finding out who I am, and how I see the world.
Karen
Wonderful post and beautiful photo to illustrate it. The backlighting is just stunning! I feel that the biggest change in my photography over the past few years is the desire to focus on the little things, to really see all the small wonders that the world has to offer. A friend (non-photographer) recently accompanied me on a photo walk and was amazed at all the things I was seeing that she wouldn't have given a second look. Up until this time, she had been taking snapshots but after our walk she found herself really looking at the world around her. I loaned her my back-up camera and after two days she bought one of her own. She said it had opened up a whole new world to her. Seeing all the little wonders around me and appreciating them is one of the great things photography has taught me and it was so rewarding to pass this on to a friend.
I don't know as I'd go about encouraging a woman whose early shot in one group was of frozen deer poop. I went looking for some today. Those deer are pooping elsewhere it seems. My loss. Yes, there are many things to shoot, wonders never cease.
Lovely image and post Claudia. As far as your question...I most definitely 'thoughtfully compose' each image. While looking through the lens, I attempt to look at every corner and square inch of the frame, with camera moving up, down and sideways. That frame is my canvas and it's important to have an image that keeps the eye interested and continuously moving within it back to the main subject. It's so much fun creating!
Gosh, Claudia, what a beautiful image. Thank you for reminding us to slow down and breathe..and think. I often get caught up in the moment and have to tell myself that I need to stop, breathe, think, and appreciate, and then click!
It does let you savor the little moments - and they contribute so much to a mindful life. Love your shot, Claudia.
Lovely post, Claudia. I think that I have tried consciously to improve the composition of my photos, but it has not been thru my own doing, but of the observance of wonderful photos thru flickr, blogging, and on-line classes that have made me aware of the everyday beauty of life around me. Weeds have taken on a whole different beauty, everyday objects become extraordinary and thru the power of the lens.
Lovely picture! There is such beauty in ordinary things. It's all in how you look at them and taking time to really see the beauty. It's become a thoughtful process for me unless I'm trying to get a shot of a moving toddler! Then it becomes a matter of taking a bunch of shots and hoping for a good one! Good post!
Beautiful photo Claudia! Composition is always at the forefront of my mine, but sometimes it just becomes second nature. I tend to see things in compositions. If that makes any sense? However, there are times when I'm chasing kids around a playground and composition gets put on the backburner because I'm too busy chasing and shooting as much as I can just praying that a few will be perfectly composed.
Nothing wrong with a good deer poop photo dear fish girl, especially when it's thoughtfully composed!
What a gorgeous shot, Claudia!
I have to say that I used to be someone who would snap away and hope one of them would turn out, but I've become much more thoughtful in my composition and deciding what is gong to be in my frame. And I have really started to "see" things around me that I would have previously missed!
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