.jpg)
Chad McCoskey (kaymeephotography.com)
There's no doubt there are some iconic locations around the world to take stunning photos: the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite Falls, the Pyramids at Giza, the Great Wall of China, just to name a few. Short of being a world traveler and thus infinitely rich or a world photographer to make a living, most of us are limited to what we can get to or see on a regular, inexpensive basis.
Thankfully, however, one is not limited to those breathtaking, scenic locations in order to take beautiful and dazzling photographs. Simply walking around one's town, city, village, or what-have-you and "seeing" as a photographer sees can illuminate the things one visits every day in a new light. New photographic opportunities will arise along with the ability to shoot with new techniques and various forms of light.
Suddenly, the small landscaped area at the edge of the parking lot to the grocery store one frequents daily opens into a macro photo of the iris in bloom. The reflection off the high-rise building shows a prism of light never before seen. The lone tree along the edge of the park where the kids run and play showcases the winter storm clouds in contrasty colors. The photo attached here is one such shot. In delivering my child to school in the early morning hours, I was able to see the clouds moving across the background bathing the tree in a wonderful bluish gray light. While I was in a hurry, I did take a moment to stop, enjoy the alluring view, and take a photo.
We all don’t have constant opportunities to travel to the fabulous world locations to photograph the monuments and picturesque locales. What we do have are new ways of seeing those things around us that we typically shoot right by. Slow down. Take a nice quiet walk with the camera and capture that which has been seen everyday, but not really noticed.
By the way, I know “contrasty” is not a word. Photographers need to include such descriptors in their vocabulary to get the point across. Besides, “contrasty” should be in the dictionary. It’s a fun word to use and say.
For more information about photography opportunities around your neighborhood, take a look at these articles:
www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml
www.urban-photography-art.com/urban-photography.html
Comments
No better way of describing the effect that owning my fist DSLR had on me. With the standard of technology used in mobile mounted cameras rising, capturing an idea becomes easier still! I use my iPhone to create photographic reminders of places to go and at what times, then return with all the 'kit' later. Say hi on Twitter : A_J_Photography
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!