Cant compose anything locally...is this normal?

Hello,


Does anyone else have the problem where nothing in your local area seems to interest you as far as getting out there and taking shots?


I am not meaning iconic like New York, Vegas, Rome etc etc. I am talking about small towns where your based like me. Going away to other towns or cities are more appealing to me for photography as I just can't seem to compose anything locally.

Den

Yep! It's called "can't see the forest for the trees"

I had a friend from England who was confused why Americans always bring back photographs of old churches and castles.

Just make yourself do it. It builds character.

I can see beautiful shots waiting to be composed in other cities and towns but my local area seems boring.

It must be because we see it on a day to day basis.

I live in Denver overlooking the Rocky mountains. Yea, there's lots to photograph. A lot of obvious 'boring' stuff anyway. Previously I've lived in Brussels, London, Paris and a couple of cities in the UK.

I would actually be interested in what 'nowhere-small town' is really like. When I'm driving thought places in Nebraska I often wonder about those towns. I've taken some photos in them, but I have no relationship or connection with which to approach what I want to convey.

So I lay down a challenge to you. I'd love to see what one of those small towns (wherever you are in the US) is really about (not just what it looks like) - good, bad, indifferent, just whatever someone who lives in one feels about it.

How about you try posting some shots here that might give me/us an insight into your town and how you relate to it? No comments or critique unless you explicitly ask. Or try putting something together and taking 10-20 photos and putting them on Flickr?

I will have a look over the weekend for iconic and appealing locations, though quite few, I shall look.


Den

lensfreak wrote in post #14806417
I will have a look over the weekend for iconic and appealing locations, though quite few, I shall look.


Den

They don't have to be 'appealing' in the conventional sense.

For instance, if I was going to describe Paris in photos, one photo I'd definitely have is a pile of dog ****. Maybe even with a footprint in it. It's not a side that most tourists see, but 11 tonnes of dog poop get cleaned off the Paris streets every year. (Just central Paris). When I was there the 'dog poop cleaners' were on strike.

I remember one of my favorite shots I took in Barcelona has these beautiful purple tree-flower petals lying on the sidewalk with a slightly out-of-focus heavily gratified garage door in the background. Basically summed up how I felt about Barcelona.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is photos don't have to be traditionally iconic or beautiful to be good photos, or photos that have meaning to us.

I think photographing in your hometown is quite the challenge; trying to make the mundane interesting and beautiful is quite the feat.

I was thinking about this recently & have found myself looking at the local landmarks looking for an unusual viewpoint or the best shooting angle. I've actually begun to walk around them taking in all the details which up to now I had failed to notice. I have also started to look at these same landmarks under different lighting conditions & at night. It's amazing how the mundane can begin to look interesting.

One idea that always works - think smaller. I'm sure there is much to photograph that would not be recognized when shown to a lifelong resident

It happens all the time. One way I try to see things differently is when friends and family come to visit from out of town. As we drive/walk around... When they comment on things, I take note and go back later and try to see it "for the first time" again.

Another way is to just pick something and try to shoot is differently over and over. I dont mean tilting the camera. Pick a street corner that gets your interest... Try to shoot it as if it was in a movie.... shoot it at the right time of day to be dramatic..... shoot it at night with a heavy and dark mod..... then brigh and sunny... as you do it you will start to get ideas for other areas in town. Soon you will have more to shoot than you have time to shoot it.

I find it head wreaking to be honest.
I have stolled about my town & I've said I would never do it again.
Although I have taken some nice but not pretty images.

lensfreak wrote in post #14806272
Hello,


Does anyone else have the problem where nothing in your local area seems to interest you as far as getting out there and taking shots?


I am not meaning iconic like New York, Vegas, Rome etc etc. I am talking about small towns where your based like me. Going away to other towns or cities are more appealing to me for photography as I just can't seem to compose anything locally.

Den

Pictures from small towns.

Sometimes, the more rural and isolated the location, the more interesting the event. You need to know your area and learn when the most photogenic events take place. All of these events took place long distances from big cities.

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I remember a few years back. A female POTN member showed a picture of a little girl sitting on grass. First impression was that this was taken at some large park. Then she posted a picture of the location. It was a small patch of grass between a parking lot and a busy street. Something that most of us would just walk by and not even think it's a good location for a shoot.

I thought this was a good example to remind us not to take anything for granted.

google "smal town photography" I did. This site popped up:

http://smalltownphotog​raphs.com/smalltown.ht​ml

It might give you some ideas.

Tell me about it. I live in Paris, I should be out there every day taking shots of mimes and métros and baguettes and what-not, but I can't. I stand around, looking for something interesting to shoot, and I must be blind cause I can't find anything. In fact, I don't take decent pictures until I'm at least halfway to the other side of the world.