Jan. 16, 2018 — Journey into Central Park and the Guggenheim
I mentioned before that this blog will include documentary of my adventures through photography. Today’s trip revolves around the Guggenheim Museum, however, bad news is that when I went today, less than 25% of the exhibit was open due to the setup of new exhibits. Also, with incoming snow storms the gray clouds stripped much of the vibrant colors I’m so used to seeing in the city.
Nonetheless, I had an enjoyable experience because when it comes to photography, I never have an idea of what to take or even what I want to take. Like any good adventure there is spontaneity. Below are some of my highlights of today’s photo shoot:
When cornered into a situation like today, even with a limited amount of subjects, it’s this limit that gives way to greater creativity. The major tips I can give to any photographer is to look for light, colors and composition. I’m a big fan of minimalism and when I took this picture I saw how beautifully simple the color of the backdrop is, how soft yet sufficient the lighting and the balance of the subject with its pedestal. Although I enforced the vignetting, this photo already carried a natural circle, focusing the viewer’s eyes towards the subject.
Street photography to me is an umbrella term that encapsulates many features: spontaneity, moments, composition, lighting, subject and many more. Here, the moment only lasted for a quick half a second, only allowing enough time to shift my lens, hold down the autofocus and press the shutter button before the woman left and the moment was gone. I was entranced by the way the light focuses onto her head, showing the viewer the different forms and line work that come from both her and the environment. Following that comes the red bag that balances out both the bluish tint as well as the woman within the frame. This is one work where everything was just where it needed to be to create the best end result.
Today’s cloudy skies left me and my peers puzzled and even bored as none of us attempted to take out our cameras. The gray skies took away much of the light and colors that are the bread and butter to our photography. Nonetheless, looking past the constraints, like the scenario in the Guggenheim, this situation pushes me towards a greater degree of creativity. I did notice the line work of the ice as it curved across the surface, the bend of the bank as it turned eastward and the highlights of the cloud as the sun tries to shine through. I decided on a light red filter with little tibits of orange to give a sense of sunset allowing for a softer subtle portraiture of the city during the winter.
Photography seems to be easy and can be easy. With such high tech equipment with an “auto” feature, nowadays anyone can be a photographer. However, what makes a good photographer? Anyone can dribble and throw a basketball, but does that make them good enough for the NBA? No, and neither is photography. There is technique, composition and thought that goes into our work. Each picture is a testament to our desire to become better and improve. In the future I’ll look back and think of how much of a rookie I was from these photographs but today I’m proud of what I accomplished and know that tomorrow I can do even better.
