“Recognizing My Eye”

This “assignment” has been a real challenge for me. It's just not flowing
the way it usually does. For me, taking photos is not a cerebral pastime,
and to try to label it that way is not coming easily. So I'm going to try to
do it literally.

I looked for themes. And really, every image I photograph pulls me in
by its beauty. And the beauty is always born out of one of the reasons
that I photograph. So that's my theme: “Beauty everywhere.” Whether
it's found or made.

Some of the things suggested I consider as I reviewed my inspiration file:

Subject.
I recently read a quote by Virginia Woolfe that really resonated with me:

Make visible
what without you
might perhaps
never have been seen.

I like to photograph things that others might miss. For example, a basket
of flowers completely blocking a doorway...



The reflection of a hubcap on a parking lot...



or a bridge over the water...



I also like to photograph people...




Composition.
It's always got to look decent in the frame. And I like to create unusual
compositions...



I like to ignore the rule of thirds because it creates tension...



and I love messy compositions that make the viewer work to see...




Lighting.
I prefer to utilize whatever light I'm shooting in to help create the mood
of where I am, rather than using artificial lighting (I rarely, if ever, use
a flash). This can be challenging since my activities often place me in the
glaring sun smack in the middle of the day. But I like the challenge of
making it work..



and sometimes I do get lucky to be in the right place at the right time...



Elements of Design.
I never gave this one much thought. Again, it's cerebral to beyond
where I'm willing to go right now. But it does seem that the elements
do play a large part in my photographs. Why else would I photograph
a grape sitting in a bottle cap...



a duct taped covered basketball lying around my back yard...



or my nephew's dirt covered nose...



So there you have it. For now, my photographic eye:

• Subjects: beauty everywhere, capturing what others might not see, people
• Composition: seeing things in new ways
  
• Natural light
  
• Photographs as design

Honestly, this was a really painful exercise for me, but I'm happy with the end result!