Photo of the Week 2015-01-19

Not every image is a winner, many, perhaps most, are not even keepers ...

I was reading a photography article online recently that touched on a familiar question. "What is it that draws me to a scene and motivates me to make an image" ? The article suggests that "there is one question you should ask yourself before taking any picture" .

For me it translates to "What am I trying to create in making this image?"

Like the author of the article, most of the time I react to scenes in front of me as opposed to undertaking a detailed analysis before making an image. I've worked hard to quiet my analytical side and allow creativity through to take the lead. I do believe it's a good to keep why I'm making a particular image and what I am trying to say with it in mind along with compositional and exposure guidelines. My reasons for creating an image may be anything from simply "here is a beautiful scene" to "wow look at this, I really need to show this to others".

This week, while I was making the image below, there were no questions, no answers  consciously running through my mind, just ... "this is freaking awesome !" Now that I have the image, I do want to share it with others, it is beautiful, it fills the viewer with wonder and amazement and it tells the story of light pollution.

Orion Rising

I made this image a couple of nights ago, on a crisp winter night at the cottage, with still winds and the temperature at -22*C. It was 10:00 pm and quite pleasant standing at the shoreline watching the stars, listening to the alien like gurgle-glug-gloog of water moving under the ice. Fortunately Lynn was there to share the experience with me. As a matter of fact it was at her suggestion we decided to head down to the shore in the first place.

Enjoy !

DJE