Life is far too hectic. We are so busy that we practically run through our days. Those days fly by, and turn into weeks, months, and years. If we aren’t careful, we will find ourselves getting near retirement, and wondering where all the time went.
With all the pressures of work, family, hobbies, and the many other activities that compete for our time, how do we slow down, and see the beauty that surrounds us.
Here is a quick suggestion, take a camera with you, everywhere. Next, take a little time to think about what you personally like photos of. It might be photos of people, architecture, landscapes, or my favorite subject, flowers. Start watching for your favorite subjects on the drive to and from work, or while running errands.
You don’t have to take a great deal of time, but occasionally stop and take a photo. Once or twice a week will make a big difference. Stop on the way home from work, and take a photo of that interesting building you pass by every day. Pick your child up from school, go to the park, and take some photos of him or her playing on the playground equipment. Maybe on the way to work, you have seen a great landscape with the morning sun slanting through some trees. If so, leave 10 minutes early, tomorrow, and take a few photos.
After you have done this a few times, you will automatically begin watching for more things to take photos of. You might have driven by the same location a 100 times before, but something you hadn’t noticed before will catch your eye. You will begin to look for beauty in a new way. You will notice things like unique lighting, splashes of color from flowers that are blooming, or great lines from buildings or other structures.
The good thing about photography is that you don’t have to be an artist. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, paint, or create great sculptures. Anyone can take a photo. Most digital cameras have the ability to get the exposure correct, all you have to do is set the camera on auto, and take the shot. Of course, learning how to go beyond the “auto” mode will improve your photos, but you don’t have to learn a lot of technical information to take a good photo.
Here is an example from my own life.
I drive the same route to and from work, every day. One morning last week, I was on my way home, when I noticed some weeds at the side of the road. They had large purple blooms, and an unusual shape to the stems and leaves. I did not have the time to take photos then. So, I decided to leave 15 minutes early the next day, and take some pictures on my way to work.
That morning, I found an empty parking lot, close to the flowers, and pulled over. I carefully walked along the side of the busy road, and made my way to the flowers. The angle of the sun really made them stand out, and the texture of the buds was almost surreal.
I spent about 10 minutes taking photos, and downloaded them to the computer during my lunch.
I got some great photos, but there were bigger benefits. I took the time to really look at these flowers, and saw beauty that I would never have noticed, as I drove by them at 45 mph. I also posted some of the images on flickr, and other people saw these “weeds” in new ways. Since that day, a few of my flickr contacts have taken photos of similar plants. My photos helped them take time to see the beauty that surrounds them.
The Triad area is near a climate line. We are on the border between northern and southern climates. Plants from both regions grow here. This gives us a diverse range of flowers, and other plants. This diversity in flora is one of the main reasons that Greensboro has the distinction of being the 2nd worst place in America for sinus problems. It also provides a range of beauty that surpasses what is found in most areas of the country.
I challenge you to take your camera with you every day for 2 weeks, with the intention of seeing something in a new way. Stop at least once a week, and take a few pictures of something that catches your eye. I can guarantee you that if you try this, you will have a new appreciation of the beauty that surrounds you. Stopping to “Smell the roses” will become second nature.
In the next few weeks, you will begin seeing short articles with tips on how to take better photos. With a little knowledge, you can begin to show the beauty you see in more dramatic ways.
With all the pressures of work, family, hobbies, and the many other activities that compete for our time, how do we slow down, and see the beauty that surrounds us.
Here is a quick suggestion, take a camera with you, everywhere. Next, take a little time to think about what you personally like photos of. It might be photos of people, architecture, landscapes, or my favorite subject, flowers. Start watching for your favorite subjects on the drive to and from work, or while running errands.
You don’t have to take a great deal of time, but occasionally stop and take a photo. Once or twice a week will make a big difference. Stop on the way home from work, and take a photo of that interesting building you pass by every day. Pick your child up from school, go to the park, and take some photos of him or her playing on the playground equipment. Maybe on the way to work, you have seen a great landscape with the morning sun slanting through some trees. If so, leave 10 minutes early, tomorrow, and take a few photos.
After you have done this a few times, you will automatically begin watching for more things to take photos of. You might have driven by the same location a 100 times before, but something you hadn’t noticed before will catch your eye. You will begin to look for beauty in a new way. You will notice things like unique lighting, splashes of color from flowers that are blooming, or great lines from buildings or other structures.
The good thing about photography is that you don’t have to be an artist. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, paint, or create great sculptures. Anyone can take a photo. Most digital cameras have the ability to get the exposure correct, all you have to do is set the camera on auto, and take the shot. Of course, learning how to go beyond the “auto” mode will improve your photos, but you don’t have to learn a lot of technical information to take a good photo.
Here is an example from my own life.
I drive the same route to and from work, every day. One morning last week, I was on my way home, when I noticed some weeds at the side of the road. They had large purple blooms, and an unusual shape to the stems and leaves. I did not have the time to take photos then. So, I decided to leave 15 minutes early the next day, and take some pictures on my way to work.
That morning, I found an empty parking lot, close to the flowers, and pulled over. I carefully walked along the side of the busy road, and made my way to the flowers. The angle of the sun really made them stand out, and the texture of the buds was almost surreal.
I spent about 10 minutes taking photos, and downloaded them to the computer during my lunch.
I got some great photos, but there were bigger benefits. I took the time to really look at these flowers, and saw beauty that I would never have noticed, as I drove by them at 45 mph. I also posted some of the images on flickr, and other people saw these “weeds” in new ways. Since that day, a few of my flickr contacts have taken photos of similar plants. My photos helped them take time to see the beauty that surrounds them.
The Triad area is near a climate line. We are on the border between northern and southern climates. Plants from both regions grow here. This gives us a diverse range of flowers, and other plants. This diversity in flora is one of the main reasons that Greensboro has the distinction of being the 2nd worst place in America for sinus problems. It also provides a range of beauty that surpasses what is found in most areas of the country.
I challenge you to take your camera with you every day for 2 weeks, with the intention of seeing something in a new way. Stop at least once a week, and take a few pictures of something that catches your eye. I can guarantee you that if you try this, you will have a new appreciation of the beauty that surrounds you. Stopping to “Smell the roses” will become second nature.
In the next few weeks, you will begin seeing short articles with tips on how to take better photos. With a little knowledge, you can begin to show the beauty you see in more dramatic ways.
Posts
What a great idea, Mark! I guess there are other things to take pictures of besides my child. Thanks for sharing that beautiful picture of a weed that I probably never would have noticed.
ReplyDelete