What is Real?

As a photographer of sorts, mainly of landscapes, I am asked often "How did you take this picture?" It seems that many times what they are really asking is, "Is this real?" So when I was working on photos from a trip I took last year, I got to thinking about this question and it led me to write this.

When I look at this photo taken on Maui, I wonder - Is this real? Was the sky that color? Was the tree that perfect? Did I use some trickery - or in photographer language - did I "work" this image in some way? The answers to these questions are: yes; mostly; yes; and to the last question, sort of. But it really is all in your perception of an image, I suppose. This is what I "saw" when I came out the door one early, early morning in Maui. It was raining over the mountains in the distance and the sky was on fire with colors reflecting off the low clouds as the sun was coming up. The sky over me was that beautiful sunrise blue. I had to lay down on a chaise lounge to get the angle I wanted with the blue meeting the tree in just the top third - rule of thirds, remember? - and the other colors just swirled into place. Now, I don't recall the purple being so vibrant but it is what it is.

So to answer the question that is asked so often these days about photography: Is it real? It is as real as my mind's eye saw that day and as unreal as digital photography allows us to make it...hmmmmm.

Inspiration Hits When Least Expected

Inspiration - where does it come from? That's what I am thinking about tonight. Sometimes it hits you at the oddest times - a phrase, a ray of light or even another person can trigger it. Anyway, I was already thinking about this earlier today after someone mentioned that they had been inspired to do something by the grey, rainy weather. Seemed odd to me but, heck, who am I to decide what inspires someone? So, I brought these thoughts home with me as I drove through the foggy downpour and suddenly I felt inspired myself. I became all wrapped up in the idea of photographing our Christmas lights in the rain. Not a truly wise activity if you value your camera equipment but that didn't seem important at that moment. I was intrigued with the thought of encasing my gear in plastic and putting myself in my waterproof shoes and just going for it! So when I arrived home, I dragged everything out into the waning light of the winter afternoon, rain pouring down from the heavens - my camera wearing it's lovely shower cap cover and I took photos of those darn lights from every angle. Hmmm. Nothing I had photographed was turning me on and discouraged, I found myself getting ready to quit. Then out of the blue "IT" happened - I forgot to remove the plastic shower cap from in front of my lens before snapping the shutter one last time. What appeared on the back of my camera was an abstract image that was exactly as I was seeing the image in my mind's eye! I was excited again! So, off I went to re-take all the images I had already done - happily dripping wet and cold but my soul singing - INSPIRATION! It sometimes comes from accidents of life and an open mind....ah, inspiration!