by Leigh
Details are the small parts of a photograph that are often overlooked. I enjoy shooting small. It's my comfort zone to hone in on little treasures and expose them. Give me an overcast day, my macro lens and turn me loose in a botanical garden and I'm in heaven! For me shooting small (i think I just made that term up) is about being wide eyed in the big world of ours. It's slowing down my pace, changing my perspective and taking the time to scope out the details that can so easily be overlooked.
Because of that slower pace my eyes spied these overlapping edges of a tulip bud yet to burst open. In a sea of thousands of tulips (and I mean thousands!) I found this. I felt like I had found the treasure! We are all accustomed to seeing tulips planted in beautiful groupings but with an intentional mind this one was noticed.
It's easy to slow down and notice the small things when in a garden full of beautiful flowers. Now I need to figure out how to adapt this same pace to my day to day life. That is my struggle. So many days go by where I feel as though I'm on autopilot. I will be driving in my car from meeting A to meeting B to picking up the kids to dropping off the kids and then when I arrive at my destination I realize that I don't remember the journey! Do you find yourself multi tasking to the point that you do lots of things ok instead of doing one thing well? That's me most days.
Perhaps if I take the mentality I have when shooting small with me into my everyday life then I can find that awareness that I'm striving for. Maybe then I can be more intentional in my daily life. Maybe photography has a life lesson to teach me :)
11 comments:
I find that "shooting small" gives me the quiet I need in the loud and busy world.
Wonderful post, Leigh. I spent a lot of time not "present" in the day to day, mind always elsewhere, composing the "to do" lists or thinking about anything except what was right in front of me. I think that's the true beauty of photography, especially macro work, that it is such a meditative practice. You might enjoy reading about mindfulness. Pema Chodron. Jon Kabbat Zinn. Thank you for this post.
But spelled Jon Kabat-Zinn. His books really helped me.
yes, I love this whole movement now called mindful photography. That's what keeps me in it.Its like finding a secret when you see that folded up flower inside the bud.
I like small...it's what keep me here, like Claudia said, in the NOW. And it's probably why it's difficult for me to go with other people and their cameras because I go at a snails pace in my wanderings....there is just too much to miss. But it is harder when there are multiple children that need to get from here to there. If you pack a few extra minutes into your travels from point A to B you can stop and take in those little things in between.
Lovely macro images! I think shooting small allows us to really connect with our subject and get to the essence of it. My camera really helps me get into the "here and now zone" -- such a gift!
Ahhh, yes! How well I remember the days of being a mom to a young child, then teenager, then college student, then young adult. During the school years, particularly, I felt pulled in so many directions. Who had time to pause much less notice? If I'd been using my camera then it might have slowed me down. Now I find that my camera helps slow me down and keep me here NOW even as my lifestyle does the same. It's a wonderful complement. Your shooting small photos are gorgeous, Leigh! I've always admired your macro work.
Yes, I think we are all agreeing that shooting small keeps us in the moment and noticing the little things. As Dotti said, it's hard to do when you are busy running kids around but so worth it when you can find the time. I recognize these shots and have some similar ones myself from our day together at the Dallas Arboretum with you, Stephanie and I noticing all the small wonders before us. I love that about photography, that we can see things that 100 other people passing the same spot will not see. It makes me so grateful to this hobby that is keeping me in the moment and helping me to see this beautiful world of ours!
I have to agree! There is something so magical about zooming in on the little things…makes life so much more GRAND! Great post, and beautiful photos, thanks for sharing!
oh my goodness leigh, such magic in these details. i just have to slow down long enough to witness it. as much as try, it is hard sometimes. but it's so worth it!
love that you wrote about seeing and capturing the little things. those to me are the most magical finds out there! beautiful!
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