365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Photographer's Eye
Day 3: The first rule of thumb for photographers is, "Never go anywhere without a camera." You never know when something will catch your eye. I was out with a friend today and wandered past a decrepit building I've seen without registering hundreds of times before, but my full attention was directed to it when he said it looked like it was ready to fall over at a touch. As I glanced over my shoulder, the "commercial" sign leapt out at me and I had to have a closer look. I had taken it for cardboard at first. Closer inspection revealed that it was thin, corrugated metal, the paint faded beyond all hope of perceiving a tint. I thought, "That's worth a picture." Only when I framed the shot did I notice the "Lawn & Saw Shop" placard and the scrawls of graffiti beyond it. The whole effect of rustic dereliction begged to be captured. Although this image is not an HDR composite, I readily admit to tone-mapping it to enhance the visual texture of the boards and paint. Small adjustments were also made to brightness and contrast. Who knows? If I had not had the Albatross around my neck today, my next trip to Yelm might find only a pile of boards in this spot and the photo opportunity gone forever.
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