S i t u a t i o n a l
Today, I was browsing the art here, and looking at photographs of some beautiful landscapes. There are some really amazing places on earth, and the best part is that most of them are just natural. No interference from mankind; just small slices of heaven created by complete chance, like a tree bent over from years of wind or a rock that has weathered into a certain shape. Everywhere there is a little beauty to be found. Some of my favourite ‘amateur’ photographers, who I watch here or on deviantart (and really aren’t all that amateur at all) live among amazing scenery.
But what about me? Well, I live in a boring little town – the largest part of which is in fact a retirement village – in the most flat and boring county in England, where these days it’s a miracle to find anything that hasn’t been ruined by mankind. Most of the photography I do is portraiture – but unfortunately that’s for my course, and I can’t show it on here, at least until I’ve finished the course. So it seems like situations have left me in the least photographic of locations, with nothing amazing to show you at all.
Well, that’s not the case. Some time in the next few weeks, I am going to go out into this retirement hovel, and find something amazing. So there’s a little bit of beauty EVERYWHERE. It might be the colour of a rose bush or the way a train track curves away – somewhere there’s something worth sharing. So here’s what everyone should do: take a walk outside. Don’t go to a mountain or a forest or a lake. Stay right here, the familiar surroundings of urban life, and see if you can’t find something amazing.
I guarantee it’s worth the trip.
Gracey
There can be amazing tiny bursts of nature in the middle of the most industrials cities – all you need to do is find it. Sometimes they are the tiniest of things. In the crack of a sidewalk a petunia growing out of the smallest bit of dirt – a survivor grown entirely from windblown seed. It isn’t about the subject matter, it’s how you portray it.
I have no doubt you will find some amazing things on your trip.
Rhiannon D'Averc replied
Thanks – Sometimes I think it’s true that that little survivor is more powerful than a field full of flowers – it says that maybe, no matter what the circumstance, everyone has the power to bloom. That’s something that can’t be missed :)
justlinda
Nice journal, you certainly do look at life with new eyes when you get into photography!.
Andy Harris
I have found that if you look hard you can see beautiful, interesting, cool, cute, special things in more or less any location… That flatness of Norfolk where you live is wonderful for expansive landscape shots, sky shots – great sunrises. The fens are great for water – reflections, birds, critters on the banks, the towns are small and friendly – lots of old world charm, farms great for barns, hedges, flowers, crops etc… I live in Barnsley which on the face of it does not sound like a beautiful country haven, its a fairly large sized industrial town in the north and can look quite ugly… but even here, there is beauty in those townscapes, houses, shops, parklands, riversides etc…. Its all there… we just need to look a bit harder – Your village / town will have some history, some interesting characters, lots to go at… I know you’ll find them! Go get them….!