New Perspectives

I decided to take pictures of my common black Converse shoes. These shoes have seen things like mission trips, the Grand Canyon, and my first days of college.  The different angles that I photographed show the wear and tear from over the years, which is the reason I love these shoes. Mud on the side of my shoes reminds me of the beautiful rainy days of recent , and the heart, drawn by a close friend, reminds me that they are never very far from me. When I look at my shoes I am reminded that they are not just another pair of old shoes; they are a bundle of memories that have the potential to be with me for years of adventures, which at the moment, I can only imagine.  

Barriers to Seeing

“Good seeing doesn’t ensure good photographs, but good photographic expression is impossible without it.”

       This specific quote from the barriers of seeing chapter reminds me why I love photography. I love the fact that people always see things differently and can take completely different pictures of the same subject. Photography is so much more than simply pointing a camera in the direction of something pretty and saying it is art. It is about what the photographer can say through his or her photo. Feelings bring a whole new level to what photography can express; depending on the mood of the photographer, they can express extreme sadness, joy, or even brokenness. I like to think that photography can bridge a gap of which words do not come easily for me.           

“A third major barrier is the labeling that results from familiarity. It was Monet, the painter, who said that in order to see we must forget the name of the things we are looking at.”

       I believe that this quote from Monet is so insightful. A major problem that photographers, my self included, struggle with is they become too wrapped up in what they are actually looking at, as opposed to what it could be with out the label that so many place on it. I think Monet hit the nail on the head with this statement. I also believe that in order for my photography progress to the next level, I need to change my perspective on most of what I see. Moving beyond preconceived notions can be something that a person works for a lifetime to achieve, but in order to get photos worth looking at, one must move beyond it.