Pondering Photography

On a longish drive coming back from shooting today I was thinking about why I love photography so much.  I think it is a number of things, but the first that came to mind is that I am learning what I like (to shoot) and then gaining some understanding of myself from that.   I love reflections like water and windows but also love shadows, and I think they go together.  They both show something beyond what we notice in passing, the things we have to look deeper to find.  Often quite beautiful or surprising, and right there waiting to be found.

Everyone loves flowers, so I don't need to examine that one too closely.  Rust?  Here I'm not sure except that it really can be interesting and beautiful.

From this process I think I understand that taking photos helps me appreciate the subtle and amazing beauty all around us and to try my best to capture it to share.  Gosh, this sounds like I may have arrived at my philosophy!

So, to share one image from today.  Several years ago I found an old barn I love.   It's a long haul from here but I've visited it 3 times now - and each time am so happy to find it yet standing.  Today I thought that some of the structure of the 2nd floor looked like a pagoda.  I worked with this image to try to bring that out.

The way it works

Here's how it seems to work. Stand along a rural road taking pictures, or buy a few frames from a yard sale, or mention to someone in line at the grocery that you are a photographer and they will tell you where the interesting pictures are! On a very wet and grey Saturday, we stopped at a yard sale at an old farm house. We bought a few things and mentioned that we like to take pictures of old farms etc. We were directed to the end of the road where this old house/barn is still sheltering a few animals and waiting for time to put an end to it. We couldn't get a picture in the downpour, so we went back the next day to capture this decrepet sentinel standing at the junction of two roads outside Watkinsville, GA. The weathered wood is in sharp contast to spring breaking out all around it. Photogrphy is one of the few ways to capture the remaining beauty of what was.

Sweet Sunday

There is beauty all around us if we just look. One of the things we've discovered is that there are an amazing number of weathered old barns and farm buildings everywhere. Winter and early spring seem to be best for finding these structures before they are overgrown and hidden from view. On any given 2 hour drive we come across scores of old places...some more pricturesque than others. This one caught my eye because of the weed growing out of a small gap in the door.

When it's too cold to spend hours outside, it's great to go for a drive and discover what's been hidden.