When I flip through my many photography magazines at all the beautiful photos taken i’m always surprised at one thing, location. These articles make it all look simple and easy – just learn your settings and you can take a photo like this!
What happens when you don’t live in the most beautiful scenic location on the planet or can’t find the money (or time) to fly to the arctic. What then? Well what happens is you get up and head outside and find something to take photos of. The other day I was coming back from a day trip to a small scenic town near me where I took only a handful of photos. On my way home I drove by my local antique car show, you know the one where all the guys from the 60’s and 70’s who have dedicated their lives to refurbishing old muscle cars show and parade them.
Where to take photos when you live in suburbia?
As I pulled in to the shopping mall parking lot I couldn’t help but notice all the wild colors and shapes. Man these guys really took car of their cars. So off I went and snapped away. I wasn’t really trying to take a great photo just wanted to feed my need. While I was taking these photos I started to think of some of the things I’ve been reading about, specifically rapid photography using the auto mode or idiot dial. Now I pride myself with knowing how to operate all the functions on every camera I own. I use shutter priority, aperture priority, manual and even bulb regularly. So why am I using program mode? Well I was watching a video on Lynda where I was learning a technique of using a back button to pick exposure and shoot quickly. So I though i’d try the same thing as I was walking around the parking lot in Ajax Ontario at one of the local Durham Region car club auto shows.
Taking suburban photos to me is all about getting out. Look past the endless shopping malls and backed up road ways. Find the stuff that ‘doesn’t belong’ the events or activities that happen all around us and head straight for it. You’re bound to find something of interest something that will quench the need to click the shutter.
What challenges are you facing when you ask yourself “what can I take photos of today”. Do you struggle with finding the right location or can you shoot just about anything?