Look down. Look different.
London, ON, October 2009
I take pictures like this because I truly enjoy shaking complete strangers out of their collective reverie. To get this shot, I plunked myself right down on the ground and started shooting (if you're a Londoner, I took this in Victoria Park.) People stopped in their tracks as they watched me get closer to my inner squirrel. And I admit I had to try hard to pretend I didn't see them. I did, however, crack a tiny smile as I concentrated on the shot. And on keeping the squirrels away.
Beyond jerking the chains of complete strangers, I also take pictures like this because I've always believed the real story lies not in what everyone's staring at, but in what they're ignoring. When the crowds are ogling the fighter jets in the sky, I'll be shooting the lonely Cessna on the ground. As everyone snaps the handsome crowd posing for a family portrait, I'm hanging back and shooting the photographers. Or the little kid who refuses to take part.
I started this because I didn't much enjoy fighting scads of people only to get the same shot that they were. I wanted to tell my own stories, and in the process throw a little attention toward the subjects that, for whatever reason, never had a chance to shine in the spotlight.
Your turn: Whatever story you're telling, I hope you'll shift your focus a little toward the one who/that would otherwise not be seen or heard. And if you want to let us know who or what that might be in a comment, by all means...
One more thing: I'll post a new Thematic Photographic theme at precisely 7:00 p.m. EDT tomorrow. Next week's theme will be...red. Enjoy!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeletelove it! I too try to find a different perspective... I've never been one to follow the crowd either.
ReplyDeleteI've finally posted a leaf photo this week. I had so many of them in my little laptop portfolio, but decided on a couple of fallen leaves myself which I found surrounded my millions of others in the middle of the woods.
ps. RED? LOVE it!
Yes, I look for pictures the same way, Carmi.
ReplyDeleteAloha, Friend!
Comfort Spiral
cloudia
It seems like each week lately, I have the best of intentions of posting for Thematic Photographic, but life happens and then Wednesday arrives and I've missed it again.
ReplyDeleteIt looked as though this week would be the same but instead, this post about looking for the overlooked stuck a note with me. I knew I had a "leaves" photo that had to be posted.
Leaves
That was very "24 hour photo"-esque, Carmi. You remind me of Robin William's character from that movie here :)
ReplyDeleteThis is ostensibly about leaves, but I see this as the last thing a soldier, or a heart attack victim at a family picnic, sees before dying. Remember the fallen, indeed. Great perspective.
ReplyDeleteI like your approach. I'm always looking for a new angle that isn't the typical angle of a shot. I think one of my favorites is when I climbed into a corn field, place my camera on the ground, and shot along the row of corn. I like the effect.
ReplyDeletehttp://gallow-photo-year.blogspot.com/2009/08/week-17-day-115-august-24-2009-corn.html
Keep looking at the world in new ways, which helps to open the eyes of those around you.
This is a great shot. Love the perspective, both in words and image, and oh, the colors. I do so love autumn.
ReplyDeleteCheck your email.
Also, I've added you to my google wave contacts (am MissMelysse there.)
I like photos of common things from different angles. like this.
ReplyDeleteInner squirrel is good.
ReplyDelete