I like walking. Many mornings, my walk takes me to nearby Monarch Park. Over the last few years, I’ve frequently taken my camera to the park as part of a photographic self-improvement exercise which involves photographing the same subjects over and over.
Going back to the same park repeatedly forces me to develop my ability to see and capture photos of the same subjects in new and creative ways. I’ve learned there isn’t one right way to capture any one subject, and there are usually many fine ways to capture the same subject.
Here’s what I’ve observed about the two main variables I have to work with; light and composition.
- The light in the park can look very different in different seasons, at different times of day and in different weather.
- As for composition, I see the best new photos when I change my perspective by changing where I’m walking or standing.
A recent foggy morning created new circumstances. The same old views looked very different due to the soft light and the masking effect of the fog. In search of a new composition, I changed my perspective by leaving my usual route and walking through a more wooded area. Through the combination of the fog and a different perspective, I quickly saw something I had never seen, which led to my capturing one of my favourite images of the park.