Light

Grocery shopping, waiting on the city bus and walking through a Wal-Mart must be so much more enjoyable for a psychologist or psychiatrist. They watch interaction, body language, and behavior and probably can't help but notice possible signs of emotion or though processes that the normal person might not even notice or care. It is interesting that although these "identifiers" have always been there, but after learning not noticing is impossible. After attending the Mountain Workshops in Kentucky I had a week to shoot and go to museums in New York City. After meeting so many good photographers and seeing their work I became more sensitive to light situations. For so long I have seen light as problematic for photography. Often something to be manipulated or even "corrected" in order to get a shot.
After the workshop I noticed so many situations where leaving the light alone and using it would be the shot. Just like a shrink deducts behavioral and authority issues while overhearing an argument over a skimpy skirt between a mother and daughter, I started to see light everywhere, in depths and values I didn't previously know existed. I wonder how many things are right in front of our faces waiting for us to learn about them so they can catch our attention. Both of these photos are from that week, one from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village at night, the other from St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan. Light's absence and appearance made these photos.