Photography – Going Local

At my job, I review other people’s photography all day, everyday.

Everything looks exotic and unique in India and Cambodia and Niger. Different colors, foods, clothing, and landscapes. For me, dropping into any of those places would be a photographers dream. Capturing everything you’ve never seen in person.

I remember how different everything looked in the West Bank. It was beige, all beige –  the streets, the hillsides, the sand, the buildings. I just wanted to add black and contrast in Photoshop to what I was seeing! Color, can I get some color please?

In South Africa, I became obsessed with trying to capture fynbos– scrubby underbrush all along the Cape. The colors and textures were amazing, though half the time I was terrified a baboon was going to leap out. Baboons! A local critter. And penguins and ostriches just hanging out along the coast.

I’ve been thinking about how much I love those adventures into new places, and realizing that is about 5% of my time. The rest of my life is at home, or close to it.

How do I start seeing things in my city in a new way? Can I see my city, my home as exotic and unique?

So, I’m challenging myself the rest of this year, since I’ll be home pretty much the entire time. How does the Space Needle become interesting again when you see it everyday? Or my neighborhood? I live near a lake that’s become part of my everyday life, but do I see it? I don’t really. I kind of forget this massive park is so close.

I have no idea how to do this. But I’m going to try.