by David W. Powell

Bring it on home

We all enjoy photographic expeditions… field trips, foreign and exotic places, bird and butterfly sanctuaries, industrial decay, etc.  I do as well. However, many of my most popular shots were taken in my neighborhood and surroundings.  As you encounter what is around you on a daily basis, you can react to the changing light and weather, trying this and that. I speak often about using your camera regularly so that the buttons and settings are under your fingertips and you don’t have to think about them when a shot presents itself to you… like a musician practicing scales. Shooting what’s around you allows you to practice framing, composition, lens selection, and point of view on a regular basis. Again, practicing scales. We begin to push boundaries and try new things so that when we are on a trek or trip, we will be better equipped with expanded vision. 

Remember, as David Thoreau said, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” And I would add… how you see it camera in hand.

From my neighborhood and surroundings:

So… where does that leave us? Look at what you see around you regularly and become part of it. You don’t need a field trip, vacation, or cruise to have fun taking pictures, honing your skills, and expanding your vision.