Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Since 2007

single frame: Tall angular building

Jim Grey
8 comments on single frame: Tall angular building
1 minute
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Tall angular building

Tall angular building
Canon PowerShot S95
2016

I’ve made a lot of photographs this year, but few that please me, or that I think are good.

I’ve been doing a lot of camera therapy this year. It has felt good to make photographs, or it did until recently. The disappointment I’ve experienced with my compositions is now greater than the pleasure I feel when I press the shutter button.

I’ve been making photographs while I’ve been doing other things, mostly taking bike rides or walks to help me lose these 15 stubborn pandemic pounds. I’m not out primarily to make photographs; I’m sneaking photography in along the way.

I’m also bored of my subjects. I’ve shot them all a hundred times now.

It’s possible to make great photographs while doing other things. I made this one in Manhattan while there with Margaret in 2016. We made photographs as we walked to wherever we were going. But Manhattan was largely new to me, and exciting.

I think I need to make some photo walks for their own sake, at places that are new and exciting to me.

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Comments

8 responses to “single frame: Tall angular building”

  1. bodegabayf2 Avatar
    bodegabayf2

    I have had a creative block since moving away from the coast. Living near the ocean inspired me. Even though I only live an hour or so away from it now, I find it difficult to find the time to get there and make photographs.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      An hour is quite a distance, really, when all you want to do is get out for some easy photography. I hope you find new inspiration soon.

      Reply
  2. Paul Hoppe Photography Avatar
    Paul Hoppe Photography

    Nice…I like the skewed perspective and diagonal lines. Architectural photography can be boring sometimes….especially when everything looks neat and gentrified.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thank you! I am very pleased with how this one turned out.

      Reply
  3. Kurt Ingham Avatar
    Kurt Ingham

    Impressive-if it were mine I’d make a very large print and hang it on the wall!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thanks! Might just do that.

      Reply
  4. Dan Avatar
    Dan

    I’ve been struggling lately with the same feelings, the same boredom from shooting the same subjects repeatedly. I’ve been pondering the solution to this and I think the answer may lie in defining my goals with photography. I’ve been asking myself what is it about photography that brings me joy and satisfaction? What do I enjoy photographing? And I came up with two ideas.

    First, I love to explore and discover new places, have experiences and capture that on film. It’s like I’m capturing memories. To that end, I’ve decided I need to go on more photo walks and explore different parts of the city. I’ve even made a list of local festivals and celebrations to attend and marked them in my calendar.

    Second, I love the idea of making photographs as art. I’m trying to create photography projects that have a theme to them. I’ve been exploring macro photography, creating a diorama of sorts, taking a photo and then refining the process after each photo until I achieve something I like.

    I’ve discovered that these two ‘solutions’ to my boredom often lead to photos that I enjoy looking at again and again. I’ve also been thinking that these fallow periods of boredom between projects are not necessarily a bad thing. They may not be enjoyable, but they usually serve as a reminder to re-focus on the things that bring me joy and to do more of that until inspiration strikes again.

    And btw, that’s an awesome photo!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Dan, great thoughts. I think I enjoy three things about making photographs: the feeling of using a camera, the feeling of joy when I see the images I made, and the feeling of pleasure sharing some of them on the Internet and getting comments on them. I’ve not had very much of the middle one this year. That’s the one I seek.

      Reply

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