This week was a little trip down memory lane for me – spanning a few years spent photographing London. First as a visitor, then a resident… no longer a tourist.
As a stranger to the city, I found it easy to spot a photo. Paradoxically, that’s something that gets harder, the better you know a place. I was curious to see if my sense of place had been changed over the years by familiarity.
I do hope that it hasn’t altered fundamentally, and that I have managed to maintain the perspective that I held when I first arrived here. The role of the casual observer, camera-in-hand, is one I hope to play for many years to come.
“A beautiful sunset that was mistaken for a dawn.” Claude Debussy
What a beautiful range of colors the sky has here! must have been quite the sight in real life.
Lovely shot, the colours are wonderful and I love the trees peaking above the skyline of the houses.
“As a stranger to the city, I found it easy to spot a photo. Paradoxically, that’s something that gets harder, the better you know a place.”
Interesting observation. While I do believe familiarly makes it easy to over-look the common it can also facilitate seeing the complexities — the not so obvious, deeper “relationships.”
For my part, another enjoyable weeks photos. This one today is lovely and I like that quote.
Curious: What’s your process for selecting quotes? Is it always starting with an image and finding a quote to fit both it and the post subject or do you sometimes find a quote you love and work from there?
Hi Earl, I always start with the photo, which invariably evokes some kind of feeling in me and work from there. Sometimes it’s a quote I am familiar with, other times it’s something that someone suggests to me once they’ve seen the photo. Truthfully, I know that the quotes have meaning for me, but I often wonder if others see the same things in my photo’s as I do- if that makes sense.
What you say is so true. We take for granted out surroundings when they are familiar and mundane such as the daily routine in to work or home. It’s not often that we pause to take a shot of something when we’re busily living our lives whereas when we’re on vacation, it’s a totally different experience. Fantastic capture of the silhouette and sky. Have a great weekend Martina!
delicate panorama, this soft pastel shade of the sky is perfectly balanced by the power of the shadows, really clever presentation Martina, compliments
I know what you mean. Today I had an afternoon off and went out with the camera. I cycled down the same roads I pass nearly everyday and got home with one photo taken. I’m so used to look at it and don’t see the photos as I used to do the first times I visited.
oh, this picture is so very nice. I liked the two shows the black lights in front of the houses to beautifully colored sky.
Wonderful sunset! Love the warm tones and the perfect urban silhouette.
nice light.
I can definitely relate to your thoughts about this Martina. I live in Washington DC and even to this day I try very hard to appreciate my surroundings as if I’m still new to the area. It’s hard to find inspiration from the daily visuals. But all it takes is looking at things from a different point of view and a whole world opens up.
love the range of colours
Funny how that observation appeals to so many photographers. It’s so strange how sometimes is so true, but others not. I’m more inclined to travel somewhere fresh to record my initial perspective. You don’t notice any of the gritty street gunk until you go back a second time…
A choice photo to tag along with this thought – it seems to have an enlightenment and introspection attached to it.
Beautiful sky.
Thanks all for your feedback and thoughts. I forgot to mention that one really great source of inspiration for me is all of your blogs that offer me the chance to see your corner of the world and in turn find something of interest in my own!
I was in England a couple of times some years ago. It was in that “changing” time of year, so this photo brings back some bit of nostalgia. Because you see with the eye of photographer, I doubt that your sensitivities and perspectives will ever change much. You’ll always see a photo even if you never take it. This shot is great–beautiful sky and the lovely silhouette–but I really like the two small lights in the silhouette. They tell me that someone is at home–and that makes it seem very right.
Nice work!