We are taught to walk forward, watching where we go, eyes up, and standing confident. But some times, the best photos can not be found this way. A photographer needs to be curious. Here are a few tips to consider when you pick up the camera (or iPhone) next.
Look around you.
Get down on the ground - like a childs view.
Turn around when walking, and see what it looks like. You will be surprised at how different the view can look.
Look up.
Look at the details - go up close and get the bubbles, the signage, the food, the beautiful colour of the flower.
You don't always need a face in the photo to tell the story. Hands, feet, even a whole body with head cropped.
Reflections can be interesting.
Windows and mirrors - use them. So many stories to be told - infront of you and behind you in the one image.
I love to sit and watch the world go by. In the image above, I was at a cafe in Mount Gambier SA, working on the laptop, but needing an 'eye strain' break. I can't last, even for an hour, on the computer without breaks. I'd been watching people come and go, conversations through the window, laughter, waitresses keeping everyone happy - and wanted to capture the hive of activity. Cafes can be a hive of activity.
I entered this photography in the AIPP Awards (Australian Institue of Professional Photography) and gained a Silver at State level. I love that you can see me (normally a pro no-no) and the outside world, but also have the dialogue of legs sitting at the window.
I wonder what they were talking about? Did they indulge in a pastry? Who knows.
We can make our own ending.