What Do You Suppose... Wide Angle Wednesday

                                         

 Imperial Cotton Co. II, a photo by C.Duncan's Photography on Flickr.

Interesting scene, no? Quite frankly I have fallen in love with the main building of the Imperial Cotton Co. The third floor is one massive space ready to be used for everything from art shows to filming movies, and so full of character. I think I spent more time here during Doors Open Hamilton than anywhere else. This is one of my favorite images from Sunday's ramble through my city. And I think I'll let you decide what's happening in this photo... let your imagination get some exercise.

So, what do you suppose this scene represents?

I'll tell you one thing, photo shoots would be heavenly in a location like this...

Have great day gang, and thanks for the short ramble!

Conveying Space ~ Mono Monday!

"The Meeting House"

Old Order Mennonite Meeting House, Elmira, Ontario

Another photograph from my recent ramble through St.Jacobs and Elmira, otherwise known as Mennonite country. What do you do when you go hunting for a historic setting, and what you find is relatively flat, open, and almost devoid of character? This was the challenge when we pulled up to this historic and well maintained meeting house... so well maintained that at first glance my first thought was "boring!"

But upon taking a closer look, we realized the entire property held a simplistic significance that needed photographed. There was a pristine beauty and a simple story to be witnessed in the quiet countryside. I just needed to change my definition of great composition. I needed to utilize a tool at my disposal that I hadn't really relied on in a while... and when I did, my perspective corrected itself. Literally and figuratively.

Since no one detail stood out above all others, I chose to rely on the overall sense of space to anchor my composition. Gosh, when was the last time I used space to my advantage in a shot like this? After berating myself for growing lax with such a valuable element of photography, I got to work. The first thing I had to address was the most powerful vantage point from which to shoot from. I quickly decided that the repetitive shapes of the centuries old grave stones could be the element that draws the eye right into the image and up to the meeting house, and the diagonal lines add interest as opposed to aiming past them. This also adds an asymmetrical element and gives a better sense of depth to the shot. Suddenly your eye travels around the rest of the image and back once again to the main subject, shining white and pure in the sun, fitting for such a simple place of worship.

Lastly, I knew I needed to include the sky... and when I saw the clouds angled in perspective with the rest of the scene I knew the sense of space was complete. The combination of each simple element combines into a dynamic shot. After I realised what I had, I knew this would be a B&W photograph no matter what. And taking it into Corel to convert it, reducing the blue channel, pumping up the red channel, and adding some clarifying tool, I quickly had a scene I would not soon forget.

After you locate your subject, an image is never just about that subject anymore. It's then about the best principles of design and compositional approach to emphasize that subject, according to the kind of light you have and the kind of story you want to convey. Space can be a very powerful tool. Let's use it more!

Thanks for the ramble, and have a good one!

Odd Spaces ~ WideAngle Wednesday

"A TIGHT FIT FOR SURE"

(1/80 sec.@ F/8, ISO 200, 18mm fl, Pattern Metering, 18-55mm kit)

I get asked all the time, "why, when you take such inviting landscapes, and graceful florals, do you always post those grungy city shots?"... I guess the best way to answer this is to quote a mentor of mine from my early film days who once said to me after a frustrating day of shooting garbage cans on the street, taxis on the curb at the school, and someones lost gym shoe with little enthusiasm, "Every photographic subject has a pulse. Find it's rhythm and your image comes to life. That simple!" 

Garbage cans never looked the same to me again after that. Sure, landscapes can be soothing, and nature can be enchanting! But unusual spaces, difficult perspectives, and random elements found in the day to day places just have an undeniable rhythm for me in the lens. Odd places, old buildings, harsh elements challenge me. They taunt sometimes, whispering "nothing to see here..." Well, not really but you get the picture. And I love photography too much to walk away from such a challenge. In small ways what I learn about photographing the city, always gets applied later on to photographing nature too. Tricky compositions, more interesting angles, weird lighting... I've learned never to take anything for granted in that respect.

The excitement is taking an everyday space and capturing the most interesting part in such a way that anyone can relate to it, and better yet, be captivated by it if they choose. Or haunted by it. Or inspired by it. There's a thrill to finding it's pulse. And it's where I started 17 years ago with a film camera, it's a pulse I'm familiar with. And I hear it loudest sometimes... in odd spaces.

Thanks for the philosophical ramble, and have a good one folks!

This one goes out to all those students that had the inexplicable Mr.Shoveller for photography class! Cheers.