Following my Own Advice

Digital original, 4 frame original

When I teach, I often talk about being open to the possibilities that present themselves to you, as opposed to trying to create an image by specifically seeking it. This on the surface flies in the face of my usual modus operendi - arranging to work with a model for an afternoon or evening, taking them to a space, and photographing them there, but in reality , all I am doing is setting up a possibility to be open to. When I photograph the Nude, I almost never have plans, expectations, or specific images in mind, instead simply relying upon the process of being open to possibilities to generate the images I made.

Digital original

During this particular workshops, following my own advice was actually easier than normal. The day dawned wet and overcast, so when we arrived in downtown Moncton, all the flowers were covered with water drops, making them just perfect for a series of macro photos. The irony here is that the workshop was almost cancelled on account of the weather, and the rain ended up being the strongest contributing element to the images of the day.

Digital original

The real interesting images of the day came when I left the flowers behind and we headed towards the more industrial side of Moncton; my eye was immediately caught by a yellow no-parking sign painted on a black receiving door. Initially I make an image of this with a long lens (105mm), flattening the perspective and essentially documenting the space, but it was only when I moved much closer, and worked with an ultra-wide lens (10mm) that the final composition came to form, with exaggerated perspective, and dramatic lines. Without being open to the possibilities the space presented, I would have made the first image and then walked onwards.