Different Points of View

Photography is not about simply recording what you see. It forces you to see things from different perspectives. I would like to share a few photos from my photo portfolio (https://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/1546606/) with those who are starting photography as a new hobby to illustrate the point. At the same time, I would love to hear your critiques and comments. 

London Eye

If you have been to London, London Eye is one of the most popular tourist attractions. Soaring in the sky at 443 feet, it provides a unique contrast with the traditional buildings along the Thames river. Looking from the Millennium Bridge or directly underneath the giant wheel looking upwards are some of the popular way of photographing the London Eye. I have seen some stunning photos of the London Eye, along with the Big Ben, under the afternoon glowing red sky. I have also taken a few shots from different perspectives during my short visit to London, but was not quite satisfied with the results. I instead located this elegant small staircase in CitizenM hotel, walking distance from the London Eye. I have to say that none of the London Eye photos I took was nearly as interesting as this one. I call it the photographer’s London Eye.

Fall Foliage 

Fall season in the northeastern region of the United States provides some fantastic photography opportunities. The range of foliage colors from burning red, vivid orange, shiny yellow, fresh green can create some wonderful landscape photos or creative macro opportunities. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia can be a perfect place for such ventures. As an alternative, I am showing you one taken near the Washington DC Mall in the fall of 2015. Unfortunately I was a few weeks too late and much of the beautiful fall leaves had fallen. Instead of focusing on the sparse foliage directly, I framed the tree against the beautiful blue sky and white clouds as the background. The few colorful leaves added just enough color to create a refreshing and artistic look that I really enjoy.

Architecture 

Photographing well recognized structures can feel repetitious. One can always look for geometrical lines to create opportunities for abstract arts (e.g. the cover photo from Prague). Simplicity is often key for those types of captures. Alternatively, backing away from the subject to allow the inclusion of a different foreground can also produce some interesting results. Here is a shot I took of the well recognized Saint Basil Cathedral in the heart of Moscow red square. Rather than directly facing the famous onion shaped domes you probably have seen in many beautiful photos, I went to the far side of the State Historical Museum and framed this perspective contrasting the Cathedral with the equally beautiful but bulky museum building. The presence of the Museum building on the left side of the frame created a miniature effect of the St Basil cathedral and made the cathedral look even more elegant.

Keukenhof Tulip Garden 

Tulip photography in the Netherlands is another attraction many photographers are drawn to. One can simply close eyes clicking and walk away with fantastic photos of the Garden. The field of tulips lining up in rows of different colors under the beautiful blue sky is a very common photographic choice. While walking along side of the tulip field, I saw this one pink tulip which stands out among the millions of yellow ones in the field. Rather than positioning my camera away to avoid this “imperfection”, I framed this one as the focal point of the photo.

People 

Photographing people is probably among the most challenging tasks for photographers. Capturing people in the perfect posture and the right mood is for the professionals such as wedding photographers. Having the right lighting condition for such occasions takes meticulous effort as well as professional skills. I usually only take photos of people to make photos or scenes more interesting. The presence of people, rather than the people themselves, makes the photos more interesting. Here is a good example of a giant Baobab tree in Hawaii I saw at the Foster Botanic Garden. Inclusion of the people made the dimension of the tree much more obvious and impressive.

Slow down, be observant, and enjoy. Photography would allow you to see the world in ways never seen before.