Narrowing the Focus

While I believe travel is broadening, I don't think it's necessary to leave home to find interesting and meaningful photographic subjects. To back up my assertion, here are a photographs from our front yard.

Long ago, when I became serious, both about my photography about spending more time in natural parts of the world, I was sure that obtaining the best images meant being as far from civilization as possible. Over time, I changed my tune, in part after thinking about the photographs made by Ansel Adams. Many of his wonderful photographs were made, not miles from the road, but from beside or even atop his car.

For the first photograph, above, not only did I not travel far, I didn't leave my front porch.

What I take from my photography in my front yard I can carry over to my photography on the road. I see more clearly what I need to include and exclude in my photographs, how to dial in the colors I want, how communicate textures and convey a sense of time or even mood. Of course, what I learn on the road can come home with me, too.

Note: For larger sized images, click on the photographs for larger size images.