Perspectives: Like Night and Day
Photography is not only part of what I do for a living, it is also one of my passions. I tell people that I have been holding a camera and taking pictures since before I could even read and write. My earliest memory of taking pictures is at around the age of five.
I take pictures at a lot of events where other photographers are also present. Afterwards, I always enjoy seeing their photos. I find it fascinating how we could all be in the same place, and yet document the event through the lenses of our cameras so differently. For example, I often take wide shots that show a full context of where I am standing. Others prefer tighter shots that highlight a particular person or detail.
As a result, multiple photographers can present different perspectives on the same topic, much like writers often do. Even the same photographer can present different perspectives by experimenting with different composition techniques, or simply by experiencing a place or event at different times.
I often photograph skylines and landscapes, but usually during the day. Recently, I had the opportunity to take some skyline shots of downtown during sunset and after dark. The images of bridges and buildings depicted in those photos look quite different than they do during daylight. There are reflections and lights and contrasts that don’t exist at other times.
If you want to expand your horizons, examine the world around you from different perspectives. Sometimes there is wisdom and beauty to be found even in the darkness of the night.