Vision

I just came back upon Don Giannatti’s “Project 52” web site.  I had seen the site several months ago, but it slipped from my memory.  I have been a member of the flickr group for a long time, but, I can’t remember the last time I actually visited the group page.  On this site, there is a weekly photography assignment. The assignments for this year start on February 1.  So, I looked at the 2012 assignments.

The first assignment is to create a Vision Statement.  This is basically a statement describing why it is that I take pictures.  As described on the web site, “Tell us with a single paragraph what you want to be able to do with your images. Tell us what you do without telling us you are a photographer. Accompany that message with a single image taken around your home.”

To me, the reason I enjoy photography is it differs from other modes of expression, and there is something that is transcendently stimulating when I see a really great image I have taken. In 2012, my Aperture Library has over 7700 images.  Every once in a while, as the image would come up on the screen, there was a moment of awe.  Kind of, “Oh boy.  That is good!”

It is becoming easier to take technically perfect images – those with proper exposure, composition, lighting, whatever.  I can look at those and think, “That’s a good image.”  But there is the added, intangible element that is included in an image that is really great.  I take photographs because I enjoy that feeling of producing a picture that is really great.

Now, what kind of image around the house can I make that illustrates that?

Serendipity

I frequently see Road Runners running along the street, and I have always wanted to get a good picture of one.  This afternoon, I went through the Carleen Bright Arboretum because I wanted to see if it was decorated for Christmas.  As I drove through the parking lot, a road runner ran in front of me.  Normally, it would keep running into the woods, but this one stopped.  I looked at it, knowing that as soon as I could get my camera, it would run away.  I reached for my camera and it was still there.  I lowered the passenger window, knowing that would frighten it off.  It stayed in place.  So, I took a couple pictures of it.

SONY DSC

SONY DSC