Re: [Leica] On Photographic Seeing

["Bill Larsen" <ohlen@lightspeed.net>]

Joseph and all who are interested:
I know the feeling well.  I live in the dry, sere, area of California.  =
When I see dry grass and hills, I used to think of the fire danger.  =
About five years ago, I had a visitor from Guatemala in the summer (when =
most things are dry and brown-yellow in color).  Her comment was what a =
beautiful place this was.  How she had always read about the "Golden =
State" but never knew what the term meant.  Everything where she was =
from was green.  She has pretty much permanently changed the way I view =
the place in which I live.  I now try to view it through "tourist eyes."
I do not know what you like to photograph.  I have found that by placing =
a framework of what I like to photograph in my mind, I can now see =
opportunities that I could not previously see.  It is the opportunities =
that I have missed that bother me.  In my case, this is the =
Rococo-decorated theater that was demolished.  The 1930's mural on the =
wall of a building that was exposed when the building next door was =
demolished...the "kitsch" art advertising that is still existing in =
Taft, California...the oak tree with roosting blue herons that probably =
is in the path of development...the California Kit Fox (an endangered =
species) that drinks from the County Civic Center fountain and eats from =
the garbage at the local restaurants.
I know, that thanks to this group (and Leica equipment that I have not =
yet challenged to its limits), I am now viewing with different =
eyes...perhaps the photographs I take are mundane now, but in the =
future???
So many things to photograph locally, so little time to do it, and so =
difficult to see it.
Regards, Bill (excuse the rambling) Larsen
ohlen@lightspeed.net
P.S.  I have convinced my family that when I walk around with my hands =
in a framing position, I am exercising...I don't know quite how I am =
going to explain when, once again, I wear a blue colored monocle.  --B