My online journal sharing interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
There is always something calling my attention, lines, patterns, light and shadows. As our cameras do exclude somethings due to the frame we have an opportunity to create abstracts, causing the viewer to take that second or third look. This time it was lines.
This past weekend I spent in Colorado Springs at a conference. During a break I walked around the hotel hoping something would catch me eye. This is what I was given, simple and common.
It is Friday morning about 7:30 am and sitting at a computer on campus at Morgan Library. Yes, I have a mocha in hand from Morgans Grind, the coffee shop located in the library. 🙂 A light snow is falling and has been, with mixed rain, since Thursday night. We have received about 2-3 inches of snow but with lots of moisture. Winter is still with us in Colorado.
As I walked from the bus stop to the library I noticed a student riding their bicycle in this 20 degree weather without gloves. How do they do that? Anyway, back to the weather. They are predicting lows for the next two nights somewhere from the single digits to mid teens. Time to make chili again and check on airfare to Phoenix. Stay warm and enjoy the weekend!
Many of us live our lives within the city, therefore all around us are the buildings we use for protection from the environment, creating another world. Straight lines are common in designs. For me as a photographer the patterns and shadows from these straight lines present interesting subjects. I attempt to crop out as much interference as I can to keep the focus on these lines and shadows. I attempt to simplify, using the lines to hold the viewer. In nature we do the same thing with the curves a beach, a grove of trees, a flight pattern of geese, a field of dandelions.
I find myself walking around with camera in hand, searching for what is unseen. The unseen is often always visible, just not seen. I can overlook the obvious unless I slow down, look from within. When I do look those shadows, lines and textures will shout for my attention then I see. Today I chased shadows.
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A couple days a go I wrote about the dominance of  the color green in nature. Well nature is also dominated with curves. I do admit to enjoying the curves you find sunbathing along beaches :-), but nature has that beat. Let’s just say nature is into curves. You just do not find many straight lines in nature. While, man, on the other hand designs and builds with straight lines. Even the framing of this images is done with straight lines. What we may consider a straight line in these leaves still has a curve to them.Â
So, when we walk in nature do we take notice of those curves?