[Brunelleschi’s Dome from the Uffizi Terrace Cafe (standing high up on an sturdy ledge amidst some huge marble flower pots) – Florence, Italy – July 2010]
With my camera packed away, I am an average height – 5 foot 5.5 inches tall. But when I strap on my camera, amazing things happen. I am 8 feet tall. I am 2 feet tall. Anything is possible.
Exercise:
- Do some research before you go – knowing a bit about a place will change the way you see it.
- For example: I think of the dome in Florence not simply as the Duomo but as Brunelleschi’s Dome. One of my traveling companions did a lot of research into the history of the building. The stories she told me were captivating; these stories helped to bring Florence alive for me; they made Brunelleschi’s Duomo a must shoot for me.
- Check the location out on Google Maps with Street View. Zoom in, out, up, down, and around the area. This can be really inspiring! It’s also a great way to change your perspective on things. Google makes it easy to change the angle and height of the map/image. Think of this as training for your big shoot.
- Tip: You don’t need a street address to do this – you can search Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps with Street View just like you use Google for internet searches. Just type in key words such as “Eiffel Tower,” “The Alamo,” or “The Blue Mosque” and the search results will show up on the right hand side.
[Brunelleschi’s Dome from Below (shot from the middle of a busy street during a pause in the traffic) – Florence, Italy – July 2010]
- Consider spending time at the site when the light is at its best – in the very early morning and again at twilight. If your schedule allows, plan for a whole day.
- Keep your camera in your bag when you first arrive.
- Walk around and see the site.
- Start to identify specific aspects of the site that you want to shoot.
- Walk around some more.
- Enjoy yourself.
- Sit on a bench and see what is before you and what it means to the others that are there with you.
[Brunelleschi’s Dome from the Uffizi Terrace Cafe (shot kneeling down and using my elbows and the terrace’s ledge as a makeshift tripod) – Florence, Italy – July 2010]
- Remember that your best image will be even better if you make good memories to compliment it. Don’t make the mistake of walking around with your camera held up to your face (see previous post on mindfulness and photography).
- Find a vantage point that is of particular interest and begin to experiment with your height. Lie on the ground. Squat down. Sit down. Keep moving until you find the view that most intrigues you.
- For your next trick, find a view of your subject from a nearby hill or from atop of a park bench. Hold your camera above your head and shoot and then bring the camera slowly down to your eyes shooting every few inches. Next, begin to slowly squat down (still shooting every few inches!) and when you can squat no more, kneel and then sit; finally, lay down and shoot up from ground level. Repeat in reverse pointing your camera upwards. You’ll be amazed at what you capture and what you learn about your creative limits and about your subject too.
[Brunelleschi’s Dome, Detail Shot (shot from street level) – Florence, Italy – July 2010]
In joy,
Melinda Eliza