Capturing the Details

Since starting this class, I have begun to see my perspective shift when it comes to the pictures and moments I try to capture. As we have found through our readings and discussion thus far, a lot of how we interpret things like nature or flowers can be based on our experiences as well as the detail in which we capture the things around us. The readings we discussed last class regarding "Luther Standing Bear" reminded me that how one interprets what is before they depend on their prior experiences or knowledge so as we read about the Native Americans, they saw nature to encapture beauty and something they unify with whereas the White Settlers saw the nature to be something that could be destroyed or changed due to previous exploration. 

With this first photo, I wanted to capture this space with that in mind of "what are my prior experiences that contribute to my choice to take this photo?" This first photo reminds me of home as I tried to capture the boats hooked onto the dock at the lake just like they do in San Diego. I also tried to put the subject to the right of the photo this time to offer a different way for the viewer to "focus on the details" as we learned from the chapter called "Drama of Details" in the Conservation Handbook reading. I love how this chapter highlights that what you focus on as the photographer is a way to tell a story in hopes of the others who view your photos to have a similar appreciation for the subject you try to capture which is what I tried to do through this photo.

The second photo was captured by utilizing the ".5 lens" on the iPhone which is one of my favorite new ways of taking photos because it expands the perspective and viewpoint from which someone can see what you are trying to capture. I love it because if I am really trying to remember a place that I went to, it is a cool way to try to incorporate a lot of your surroundings that hold a memory. I think this photo in addition differs from the first in the sense that it allows the viewer of the photography to see for themselves what captures their eye rather than focusing on a specific detail you want them to see. 

This experience and intentionality I set for taking these photos really reminded me of the power of perspective and how much it can vary from person to person. What may be obvious or important to one person can really differ from how another sees a photo but that is honestly the best part about photography too in my opinion. It is about uncovering their story and hearing their experiences to allow us to understand more about others' perspectives, and more about the person themselves. Perspective has a unique way of setting each person apart but also has a hand in bringing people together if we just stay long enough to ask.