Taking my cue from social media, one of the coping mechanisms for many photographers during lockdown is to re-visit the individual archives and re-edit some old favourites to create a virtual travelogue. Ordinarily the time would be better spent editing the new material, but in the absence of that, then might as well clean up the old junk, discard the clutter, and rediscover some old favourites.
In the photos above I have a selection ranging over ten years, spanning three continents, a distance that actually makes me smile. Starting top left and going counter-clockwise: Florence, Prague, Hong Kong, the Basque Country in Spain, India and ending in Siena. The Siena photograph, by the way, was featured today on YouPic as one of the inspiration photos for the week! Architecture photography is not my favourite, but these old historical buildings in Italy fascinate me and are virtually impossible to ignore.
The old wooden bridge in Hong Kong (lower left corner) is something I had completely forgotten and almost deleted it with the rest of the pile. I vaguely recall still using my old favourite Nikon at the time, and couldn’t help but wonder how I would photography it today.
I had a conversation the other night on the the topic of moving on from your past mistakes, not dwelling on them, but certainly owning up to the circumstances and taking the lessons into the present to become a better person. This is growth and it certainly applies to photography in more ways than one. We cannot allow ourselves to get lost in the equipment, blinded by the studios, or hung up on the same old boring approaches. Push the limits, discover something new, and don’t be overwhelmed by the latest trends.
Having come full circle and found my way back to the starting point, now I can discern better what my photography niche is, and which path to pursue. More importantly, how and when do I want to take it to the next level. One thing is for sure, no more hiding in the shadows for this frog.
FrogDiva Thoughts 