Looking for the Contrasts Between Things
When I’m out with my camera and determined to make a photograph, I’m looking for light and shadows and the patterns they make. Finding the subtle similarities and contrasts between things is one of my favorite ways into an image. When golden fading light at the Gulf shore makes one last fiery attempt to light up the sky, and bathes everything—all of the shoreline’s natural beauty and its intrusive manmade structures—with its benevolent warm glow, I want to be ready to mark the richness of the moment. I look for light between the lines, and finding it is a gift. For that’s the time of day when human transgressions too near the ocean can be forgiven: nature has indiscriminately bestowed one lovely wash of color over everything. ♣
Finding the subtle similarities, and contrasts, between things makes photographs richer.
Visit my Lightscapes series to see more photographs where light and shadow etch a pattern. What’s your favorite way into an image?
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Love the angles and the colors you captured.
Thank you, I’m pleased you noticed all of those connections! What do you like to photograph?
such a really pleasing visual from the lines to the colour…love this shot
Thanks Jo, I love its sense of calm.
Love it 🙂
Thanks KG. I love your three loves, too.
Love the colors.
Thanks Mitch.
Love that time of day. Nice capture
Thank you. Is that when you like to shoot too?
great contrasts, great & subtle 🙂
Thank you. I love the subtlety. What do you like to shoot?
ah, i love to shoot … have you heard of the wabi sabi aesthetic? that, amid the transience & impermanence and even brokenness there is great beauty? i tend to love to shoot this ethos from within things.. whether it is a dying flower, a chipping paint on a building, a wrinkly face line… catching & honoring things in this state. and i love to shoot my life (certainly not to kill it though 😉 )! the people, plants, environments… i like that you shoot where you are, too! thanks for asking~ a great question for thought…
Thanks for alerting me to that–Now I’ll have to research the wabi wabi aesthetic. it sounds like my style too. I am really drawn to the worn things. If it’s too perfect, I’m less interested. But I’ll shoot anything that speaks to me. Nice to hear what moves you, thanks for explaining that. Heading over to visit your site!
Mine is the unexpected. I am yet to learn why certain things attract my attention and others don’t. I am not sure I will ever (fully) know, but I think you are right about contrasts capturing a photographer’s imagination and getting the creative juices going.
I’m a huge devotee of the lure of the unexpected. I love that insight. Finding something that’s unexpected really provokes my imagination. So does interacting with other creatives, like you, and hearing your inspiration triggers. Thanks for providing my morning Aha moment.
A pleasure, Jann. Wishing you a great day ahead.
Likewise Vic!
Love the photo! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Thanks Aian, I’m usually one for bold color and stark contrast, but sometimes subtlety is more appealing. How about you?