Sunday, January 03, 2010

Monochrome Weekly/Shadow Shots: Cornered

Cornered

I've hit a bit of a wall in my picture-taking lately. Nothing seems good enough anymore. I'm no photographer, but I still hate to put up anything here that isn't worth looking at for a few seconds, at least. It's why I'm sporadic contributor to memes. I'll skip it rather than post an image that doesn't work for me. And not much works for me these days.

However, I recently watched a documentary about famed photographer Sally Mann, What Remains. In it, she said photography always gets harder, because you feel like every image has to be better than all the ones before it. And that's it, exactly. And she said that what you have to do then is take another picture. Any picture.

So here's mine. It's my closet ceiling. Make of it what you will.



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22 comments:

Sylvia K said...

A very clever shadow shot! And Sally Mann is right about the need to make every image better than the last! I just took up photography a little over a year ago, had never had anything but a cheap, disposable camera and now I'm obsessed!! Ah, but I do have fun as I know you do! Wishing all the good things in life for you this new year! Enjoy! Keep shooting!

Sylvia

Carolyn Ford said...

Well...I think this is very creative and artistic...and, a fine photo to get you back into the full swing of photography. But, I agree about missing a meme if nothing suits you at the time.

Lene said...

Well, this one is really worth looking at - great angle and cool motif :) Perfect in monocrome :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Crafty Green Poet said...

that's beautifully composed and striking

Anonymous said...

Interesting play of light and shadows. You might try cropping tighter as an experiment simply to see what happens next. So, I'm not the only one who wonders about the next image. Same thing with writing. What do you do next? Why the next one of course. Thanks for the photo and the wise words.

Sarah said...

I really like this picture-it is definitely worth looking at! I love the way it makes an ordinary space very interesting. I know what you mean about taking photos-I suppose it is the same with anything that you enjoy and want to be good at. It reminds me of the idea about knowledge as an expanding elastic band-the more you know the more the band stretches and the more there is on the edges that you don't know.
Ah well!
Happy New Year!

Shannara said...

That photo captured me. Like it, it's simple and genial.

kanishk said...

I agree about missing a meme if nothing suits you at the time.

Work from home India

Sallyacious said...

OOOOH! Love! Stunning. No words.

Unknown said...

I like the delicate shading of light in his photo!

JLS Hall (Joysweb) said...

I love it! So creative - something I would never think to take a photo of. Wonderful shadow shot.

Dave Carlson Photography said...

I like your words and your photo! As I learned recently from a painter, the study of values (a.k.a., tones, dynamic range) can be stimulating in itself. Your image has an excellent range of light.

Dianne said...

I love it! that's what I make of it :)

I know the feeling but I tell myself every image has worth in that it is a moment where I must have seen or felt something

I also have photos I don't like that everyone else does - I guess that's the wonder and torture of art

Anonymous said...

I think your photos are great. If yours are bad then I think Ill start doing something new as my photos cant stand up to yours.

I love the shots of the trees in your Jan 2 post

Bye Bye ED

Hey Harriet said...

I find this photo really appealing! I think I need to track down that doco for some inspiration. I feel as though I'm in a bit of a photo taking slump of late too!

Regina said...

Great mono!

Three Rivers, Michigan said...

A nice shot, graphically interesting and worth looking at. I am trying to improve too and hope I am, little by little... I've been thinking each week, "what makes a good monochrome? Why b&w and not color?" Hard questions to answer! You are doing so well.
Three Rivers Daily Photo

Daryl said...

I think its an original idea and I not only like it but beg to differ with your opinion of your photographic talents .. you got 'em so keep using them ... I hesitate to say this but I havent ever hit that wall .. there's just too much out there to shoot

Rambling Woods said...

Interesting photo..I guess that's true, but sometimes I take photos to keep the memories even though they won't be great....Michelle

Margaret Gosden said...

A very unusual and cubic shot. Yes, you have to keep shooting. You will soon overcome that impasse if you build a portfolio, so there's always something there when you you need it. That one shot may suggest other geometric corners to be explored!

MyMaracas said...

Thanks so much for the encouraging words, everyone. I treasure your comments and kindness. I suppose everyone gets frustrated now and then, and it takes friends like you to lift us up and get us going again.

kyungmee said...

It is a nice shot..makes for an interesting perspective..and curious until I read you comentary;) Glad you posted this and hope to see more. I am just learning myself but always loved art, photography, and just seeing things for more than one perspective..of all things. Photography allows me..you..to do this..just keep taking those shots and you do have wonderful space here:) Happy new year!