Sunday, January 13, 2013

Navel Gazing

Boz at Devil's Gate Dam, October 2009

City Daily Photo didn't have a theme day on January 1st, so today we're celebrating The Festival of the Belly Button by contemplating our navels. The question I'm to ask myself is, over the time I've been blogging, how has my photography changed?

 
Boz has eyelashes, November 2012

Mostly, two things:
1) I'm more aware of little details than I used to be.

and

2) I am now more interested in telling a story or conveying an emotion than showing you a thing.

You'll find the links to other worldwide navel gazers here.

26 comments:

dive said...

How can you be anything but a brilliant photographer when you are blessed with such a muse, Petrea?

Andy said...

I just discovered your blog about two days ago and I like what I have seen. Keep on clicking.

Anonymous said...

And it obviously helps when you have a very, very photogenic dog!

Shell Sherree said...

Wow. I'd love any of your photos of Boz, Petrea, but wow. I love your observations.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Love that profile of Boz!. Great macro shot..Definite emotion in the subject as well as what you want to show...

Adele said...

Great insights, and great shots! ...and of course, Great Dog!

Petrea Burchard said...

Thank you. I try to get Boz onto the blog at least once a week. He has a following. But please don't tell him how popular he is. It's my own fault, but if I'm not careful he'll get too big for his nonexistent britches.

Kris said...

To me, both photos are good!
with details you stare longer , of course ;)

TheChieftess said...

Your photography has definitely improved over time Petrea! You've always been a good photographer, but as you yourself said, your shots now are less about documenting the subject and more about the art/emotion of the subject. Love the detailed shot of Boz...yep...lot's of emotion! I also like that you've been using more interesting angles too!!!

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Kris. I like both photos, too. They're very different, though! I continue to take broad landscape shots as I always have, because I like them. But I'm doing more details now, discovering more things close up.

Thanks, Chieftess. Notice how this "theme" encourages us to talk about me me me! Let's go look at your pictures for a while.

TheChieftess said...

Now...you're being unfair Petrea!!! You also get to talk about Boz, Boz, Boz!!! And we love it!!! (Thanks for visiting!!!)

Ann said...

Reading your text made me think. I don't really think about it but I think my course is somewhat the same. The shots that I consider good have a story or emotion. Big difference between your two shots.

Ms M said...

It's good to "navel gaze" every so often. I think you take wonderful photos and they have improved over time -- although they've always been powerful. I really like the photo "Boz has eyelashes". The detail, the texture, the framing. Excellent!

LONDONLULU said...

I love both images, though of course have a soft spot for Boz and anything along that 4-legged/tail-wagging vein... Enjoyed what you said about conveying an emotion rather than showing a thing.

Petrea Burchard said...

The navel-gazing has been fun today, and the link to participants will remain live for a few days. City Daily Photo will be trying a few of these mid-month, different themes for a while. None of them are required and I'll participate now and then. I liked this one. Made me think.

John Sandel said...

"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."—Dorothea Lange

Susan Campisi said...

I love the inspiration that came out of your navel gazing. And really love Boz's eyelashes. Not just his eyelashes. I love how you can get a feel for the texture of his fur. I'd never noticed but it looks just like Tommy's fur, on the coarse side but soft as well.

Julie said...

Terrific selection of shots for the comparison, Petrea. When I first started I was a wide angle get-everything-in person too. It was only when I started to look in gutters and at the locks in gates that my photography started to improve.

I am so glad that you indicated WHY this change was so valuable to you. Many of us do not consider that enough. Many of the comments I have read today indicate that.

Thank you so much for participating in this our first Festival. I am working on the detail of the next one already (due mid-March) and hope it is quirky enough to entice you again.

They are not designed to be easy, just the opposite.

Speedway said...

A friend once commented about my pictures, "But you go looking for stuff!" Isn't that what it's about? Your work is really great, Petrea, and I enjoy looking at your use of light, the way the hair on Boz's face lies. As John said, maybe people will look at the steam from their coffee cup differently, or pay more attention to the hair of the dog, without the camera.

TheChieftess said...

@John...that's one of my favorite quotes John!!!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I love the detail in the second shot but to me the top shot tells a story.

Petrea Burchard said...

Susan, the top of his head is like velvet. I don't know if the camera would show that.

Thanks, Julie. I will try some and not try others, and that's as it should be, I think. Looks like an interesting list.

I wouldn't do it if it wasn't fun, Speedway.

Joan Elizabeth: Thanks. I agree. I'm not sure the change in focus is necessarily an improvement so much as an addition, if that makes sense.

Buck said...

Such a great lesson for me! In time, I hope to be able to tell a story, but right now I'm still fixated on showing things.

Virginia said...

Excellent examples. I am reading a composition field guide right now and he says that 9 times out of 10 getting closer is the key.

Hugs to Bozerino!
V

Jilly said...

Super comparison photos - I think many of us can identify with what you say and now show more detail - and yes, the need to tell the story and show the emotion - although I think I might have overdone it on occasion and overcropped a photo - often it still needs the context to tell the story.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Wow. Love that macro photo of Boz!