I won’t only show what I think are good photos here. It’s worth discussing failures as well, and it’s important to be honest. Here is such a failure.
Sunrise on the rocks
Running waiter
I saw him running across the street in the corner of my eye. I just had time to lift the camera, match his speed, focus, and click. I was using the 28mm so I was very close.
Applying My Own Lessons
I discussed wanting but failing to start a project lately. My conclusion was that if you can’t find an obvious project, one way of starting could be to choose a technology, a constraint, or a theme, then go out and take photos to see where it goes.
I was in Oslo lately (for work). So I decided to put that conclusion into practice. I decided:
- Not to shoot monochrome because it’s currently my comfort zone.
- Shoot only streets, because landscapes are a safe zone for me and I want to learn street (human activity) photography.
- Use only one camera and travel light.
Finally, I decided to experiment with a few techniques:
- Camera movements.
- Shadows.
- Patterns.
Stereotypical things
When you’re in Paris, you have to do stereotypical things sometimes. One morning, we were waiting for the Photography museum to open for a Dennis Morris exhibition. We were early, so we did what you’re supposed to do.
Metro entering the station
I love shots where trains enter a station.
Libre, Aimer, Rever
You know you’re in a city with lots of students when you see things ike this.
Snow at Dunnottar
This is one of the first monochrome photos I made back in 2006. It was taken at Dunnottar, a fortress on a rock in Northern Scotland. I wanted to learn digital monochrome at a time when it wasn’t that common (or it was just desaturation and super flat).
Walking with a mannequin
The mannequin appears to follow the kids that reflect in the window.
Why Can’t I Start a Photography Project?
I’ve spent the better part of six months telling myself I need a photography project. The logic is sound: focused work develops technique faster than scattered shooting, sustained exploration reveals patterns in my visual thinking, and constraints paradoxically liberate creativity. Yet here I sit, project-less, waiting for something to ignite sufficient passion to sustain months of dedicated work.
Reflection in the window
As we were eating outside a restaurant in Paris, I spotted our neighbour’s reflection in the window.
