Context vs. Details - photography musings

Something I've been pondering lately is the balance in photography between capturing details of a given event, like intricate embroidery on a wedding gown, and seeing more context, like that gown hanging next to a group of bridesmaids primping at the mirror. Each type of photograph has its own strengths. But something I'm learning is that you need to have both, if you want to truly tell a story and help others visualize, or remember, the event.

When I first started on my photography journey, my photos were almost all details. This is because my emphasis was on bringing out the unnoticed and forgotten details of the world. If I could make someone amazed at the texture of a little leaf from their own garden, for example, I'd done my job. My perspective was tiny and focused: to diminish the context so little worlds of beauty could really shine.

discovering why i take pictures

I have a wonderful husband. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. (And sometimes he doesn't have a clue, but for that I can't blame him in the least...I confuse myself sometimes.)

He came in just now, after I wrote that first sentence. :)

Anyways, lately, I've been frustrated with where I am in my, I guess I can say, photographic journey. Or something like that. Basically, I've been taking my camera out, and don't see things to photograph. I feel really blank and uninspired. Does it have something to do with trying to sell my art? Probably. But the observation my insightful husband offered was this: My pictures are a kind of story of my life, in that I don't usually go out to take pictures, but I take my camera with me, and photograph what I see while I'm doing life. Most of my great photos have been taken while I was there doing something else.

a gallery and a philosophy

I've never had any of my photos for sale in any sort of "bricks-and-mortar" shop. My workplace is partly a gallery, and a while ago I was told I could hang some things there. But then it was decided that our store will no longer be a gallery and just concentrate on framing. This is a good decision for the store - but a teensy bit disappointing for me! :) It really made me nervous to think about hanging things up for the public to see (and potentially reject) though. I know art is different to everyone, and people are drawn to different things in art. But someone I don't know if I'm up for the possibility of no one liking it enough to buy it.

new photos?

I need to post more often. I constantly find new photographs on my computer that I can ready for online debut in a matter of minutes...which is handy when I don't have time to take any new pictures. Hopefully I can get motivated to create some new art - but this year I've hardly taken any new photos of the wintry loveliness (that I hate driving in). I have, though, found some great winter oldies from last year's photo stash that I can share with you now.

This year's family Christmas present-opening photos were, for the most part, just as bad as last year's - except this year I condescended to use my built-in flash for many of the photos. I hate using the flash, but I also hate using ISO 1600 and still having to manually lighten every single photo because my parents still don't have enough lamps in the living room. Well, that is a lesson for everyone: Have enough lamps in your living room - at least enough light to appease your live-in photographer.

Oh yes. Old winter pictures. Here are a few for your delight.