In Plain Sight

For those who have followed me for a while, you probably know about my monthly blog. What you would not know is that sometimes it is a struggle to get inspired and come up with an idea on what to write and share. Sometimes, the ideas are clear right away, and the words flow. Other times, the tank is empty, and I wonder what I will do. The only thing I don’t do is give up. I have to trust that something will come. This month’s offering is the result of trusting. The idea and title came to me last evening as I was turning in. Without a pen or paper on hand, I hoped the idea would come back in the morning. It did.

The first of the dahlias with Sol 45 and macro filters

CLOSE TO HOME

Sometimes, I think I need to go away from home to photograph. Perhaps you do as well. Yet, I am often reminded that worthy subjects are always available to me here at home. I seem to forget about the familiar and ordinary, and its value and potential. I delay photographing what is growing in my “garden” because it’s just outside my door and available to me all the time. It’s easy and worthy of exploration until it’s gone. Some plants and flowers are beautiful and interesting past their prime, but not all of them. So, when I dismiss them and the urgency and put off photographing them, I often miss out on the fleeting beauty. Shame on me. I’m the one who often encourages people to stop and take the time to photograph things when they see them, to not wait and miss the opportunity. Many times, the opportunity is not available again, ever. I know better. There are subjects waiting for our attention, and we don’t need to go anywhere far to find them. They are right in front of us.

Moonflower seed pod and industrial part

GO WITH THE FLOW

This time I decided to stay home and see what I could find was inside or outside my front and back doors. No real plan, except to put on my “noticers” and see what happened. I did not impose any constraints with regard to lenses, time spent or techniques used. My “plan” was to go with the flow, see what I could see, and play without concern for the results. As I write this, I am noticing many options in the room. When I take the camera out, I may choose to pay attention to some items and ignore others. This exercise is to discover the potential in the ordinary and in objects that are in plain sight (no pulling things from drawers or cabinets). It’s the ordinary and familiar that are often missed in the quest to create images in exciting places. This time, I am on a “noticing” journey right here where I live!

White dahlia with Lensbaby Velvet 56

Colors and curves on the dahlia

THE GOODS: WHAT I FOUND

So, what did I find? Well, I began with the dahlias that were in the process of fading after having been here for about a week. I chose to use my Lensbaby Sol 45 and macro filters to start.  In that bunch of dahlias there was also a rose that was rapidly moving into the “done” phase. Next, I spent a bit of time on some other dried flowers and plants. My collection is quite large, so I was not traumatized when I threw away a good bit of them. I worked with a moonflower seed pod and some industrial part that I have no idea of its purpose. I moved on and returned to the dahlias with a different lens – the Lensbaby Velvet 56 and macro filters. This time I focused on the curves and color.

Dahlia with sunlight breaking through

After some time, I went to the front of my house to see what I might notice and feel the urge to spend time with. It was there that I saw an old float that had seen better days. I brought it out back where the light was better and, wow, what a surprise! That float has been around for a number of years. I bought it because I liked it for what it was as well as for the colors and textures. I had never photographed it before now.

The old colorful float that had “been there all along.”

To my amazement, of all the subjects I worked with, that colorful old float is the highlight of my “In Plain Sight” exercise. I worked the float with my Velvet 56 and the macro filters. In total, I spent forty-five minutes with the float (and will revisit), shot 175 frames and played with rectangles, squares, ICM (intentional camera movement) and multiple exposures. I had no idea this old float would be so intriguing to me and so much fun. I even got out a variable ND filter to slow the shutter speed down for the ICM images as the light was brighter than ideal for that technique.

Beautiful colors in float intentional camera movement

Before I ended the current exercise, I felt the need to explore the front area again. I played with some Mexican sunflowers, some small white flowers in a pot (no idea what they are), some orange blooms that the bees love, decorative grasses, a dried leaf, and a few leaves the bugs have chewed on. There is still so much more I could work with, but I ran out of time for a number of reasons (this blog is one).

Fancy grasses with ICM and Lensbaby Velvet 56

Late-blooming Mexican Sunflower

Dead leaf in abstract

FINAL THOUGHTS

After this experiment, I have decided that it is a worthwhile endeavor to explore what is here at home – things that I have not noticed before or had forgotten about. I learned a few things in the process of the short noticing journey.

First, I am still fascinated with the potential that the colorful, but old float still holds. That session held the greatest enjoyment. It was most surprising to me to discover what I’d been missing by walking past it every time I go in and out of my front door. I will definitely be revisiting it with new explorations and other lenses in mind.

Second, I was reminded that there are very worthy subjects right in front of me here at home. Most of us (myself included) have more than enough subjects in and around our homes to photograph. Travel is fun, but, oh the things we have at our finger tips in plain sight that hold immeasurable opportunities.

Stripes of color and texture on the old float

Third, apart from the fact that I have a copious amount of untapped potential for image making right here at home, I will make a more diligent and deliberate effort to explore and photograph the collection with more intention. I will sift out those items that no longer hold my interest. At the same time, I will add to my “stash,” new finds from the antique and thrift store visits I know are to come.

Finally, I encourage you to plan and hold your own “In Plain Sight” session at home. Notice without a plan – go with the flow. Shoot without focusing on perfection or having an end-result in mind. See where it takes you. You might have something that surprises you as much as the old float did me. Oh, and keep doing it. Keep discovering. Don’t allow your first session to be your last. Begin, enjoy, and do it again. Enjoy!

Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.

—Julia Cameron

Drying rose petal with Lensbaby Sol 45 and macro filters

Tiny, white filler flowers in a pot

Cool float finds in the grooves of the letters