Walk Details
Date: September 24, 2020
Time: 5:20 pm
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 90 degrees Fahrenheit
Air Quality Index: 33
The Creative Exercise
Select one object from your walk to photograph - I especially encourage you to try this if photography is not your primary medium. Make 20 photos of the object.
Results
Reflection
I found myself looking at everything on my familiar path with new eyes. I kept asking what would be interesting enough to take twenty or so photos from different angles. I thought about what I like about my path (the four bridges). At first, I wasn't sure how I'd be able to find 20 photos that didn't look the same or that didn't get boring. But, I found the more I took, the more possibilities I discovered. What I especially loved (and was surprised at) is how as I took more and more photos, I was focusing more and more on smaller details, like the wood grain. Finding the beauty in the details reminded me how important it is to slow down and look beyond the immediate view.
Yes it’s all in the details. I’ve enjoyed these images. Fun to see the diversity in images. Funny that you say it was the same thing but together they tell the story of the whole.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't until I look at all the images together that I saw a story. While taking them, it seemed a bit silly at the time.
DeleteHi Meghan, this is Yuko from Walking as Creative Practice! I came into this same exercise with the same concerns - how would it be possible to take 20 diverse photos of one subject? I like how you started getting "weird" with your angles and level of detail you captured. I imagine that you got very close with your camera and hopped all over to get different views. This takes a lot of boldness and I really respect that, especially in a (seemingly) very public pedestrian thruway. I like how you used your feet and the foliage around the bridge as an extension of the bridge itself - you, as a pedestrian, walk ON the bridge and the bridge runs OVER the foliage. I think there's some theme to explore there. I also enjoyed the part of the bridge that has the "1,2,3,4.." like a little artifact. I'm curious if you noticed it before or only discovered it now through this exercise. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you mention the public thruway - there were a couple people who looked at me funny and a couple times I had to wait for people to move along to get the shot I wanted.
DeleteMeghan, congratulations on completing Week 1, I tuned in to your methodology as process right away, aided by your prelude of empirical observations of the weather and time, this approach, perhaps from your scientific background, carried through in your methodical approach to your subject, the bridge/fence, and I got a real sense of what the texture, volume, light, and maybe even smell (with all of the closeups) might be. Your investigation brought a sense of lyricism to this humble object, and I found the head-on perspective shots powerful. Especially powerful in the choice of cropping and perspective is the one with the white painted figures (upside down) in front of the bridge. I look forward to more of your work, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I definitely enjoyed exploring the textures of the bridge (and finding faces in the wood grain and knot holes).
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUpon first sight, I thought these photos would have to get repetitive, but you really captured 20 different perspectives on this very simple structure. I felt a few had less dramatic differences, and you have so many strong photos, felt a few could have been edited out. I especially enjoyed the way that your exploration moves along in scale and clarity of what the structure is used for. Photo #3 in particular stood out for perspective, and the exploration of the wood grains was appreciated.
ReplyDeleteMeghan, from your first photograph, I thought that you were going to take 20 different shots of your feet while walking along your path, your feet being the constant subject (which is a pretty god idea actually)...so many different perspectives of a bridge!!!...
ReplyDelete