Looking Down Offers Rich Rewards

A Page Has Turned In My Creative Process, And I’m Looking Up

“Abstract Reflections” — Image by Author

It rained overnight, and I love the reflections found in the puddles. One block into my morning walk I snapped the first one. Then a thought occurred, what if I kept my camera pointing down during this morning walk?

I became fascinated with this idea and pursued it further as I kept walking. As I continued making photos, thoughts about what I would write today began to take shape.

By the time I stopped at Cafe Brujula for a latte, I had covered two and a quarter miles and made 80 images. Today’s story was sketched out as well.

“My Lucky Horseshoe” — Image by Author

After twenty minutes of walking I had only made a half dozen pictures above street level. Then the discipline kicked in and my lens never looked up again.

Thinking about this process, a through line began to form. What if I consciously chose, or let my camera choose, a photo topic each morning? Then allowed a story line to develop around this photo inspired theme?

It’s like setting a few parameters, then turning off my brain and allowing my intuition to take over. This could form a new connection between image…