Friday, June 20, 2008

Through the looking glass


Stepped facade
Toronto, ON, June 2008 [Click to embiggen]


I shot this image a week ago Thursday, at the end of a long day in the big city. I had shlepped my camera with me pretty much everywhere. Through meetings and interviews, it stayed tucked unobtrusively in my laptop bag. Somewhat oddly, I wasn't getting that little vibe inside me that encourages me to capture a scene. Nothing was inspiring me to shoot as I walked through this busy downtown.

As I inched my way through gridlocked traffic at the end of the day, I found myself sitting behind a large knot of cars whose drivers didn't seem to know where they wanted to go. So I sat. And sat. And sat. And as I sat, I looked out the window and noticed I was next to this particularly overbearing example of '80s glass facade architecture. I had time to rack off one quick shot before the indecisive motorists around me got their decisiveness back and started to roll.

In keeping with this week's Thematic Photographic theme (glass), I wanted to share this moment with you. If you haven't played yet, I hope you'll click here and join the growing party. I've also posted additional background on how Thematic Photographic works here.

Your turn: Why doesn't the photographic voice inside us always speak? What do you do to get things going again?

6 comments:

Mojo said...

I've found that when the muse is silent, it's usually because I've got too many other things going on in this dusty attic I call a brain to hear her. Since I don't pay my bills with my camera, that's not as big a deal for me as it would be for some.

The most effective way I've found to get the engine running again is to put the camera back in the bag for a day and take in the world with nothing more than the naked eye. The shot I miss by doing this (because invariably one of those "and-me-without-my-camera moments" results) is a write-off. But it gets the burner lit again, and that makes up for the one I missed.

Of course, I have the luxury of not having a deadline to meet or an editor to pacify, so YMMV.

Canadian Mark said...

I started writing a comment, but as oft happens on your site it grew into a post of its own. The long and short of it is that I'm always prepared because those dry spells end when you least expect them to - much like you carrying your camera around all day in the laptop bag.

swilek said...

I just discovered your blog and am trying my hand at your thematic photographic...here is my entry:

http://swile67.blogspot.com/2008/06/thematic-photographic-glass.html

Anna said...

Great shot! For what ever reason shooting things that are glass fascinates me...

Nestor Family said...

The voice for me speaks often... it is the memory that seems to always forget my camera!!! Aaaargh!

To get things going again... I check out your blog, Carmi! :-)

me said...

Love the photograph Carmi.

You probably won't remember me but I used to read your blog a while ago, I stopped when I deleted my blog, but I have found you, and all the other blogs I used to read, again after re-installing my blogroll on to my new blog.
So, just thought I would say Hi!
Take Care
Nikki