Thursday 3 February 2011

WPC 2011 - Week 5 - Sign

This post was written on 2nd Feb, and for some reason never got posted.  So a week late is better than nothing I guess!

I have submitted my latest photograph to the WPC Group pool.  I am really proud of myself for getting a photo for this week's challenge.  It was a close run thing about whether a photo would be forthcoming or not.  The trouble with the subject matter, is signs tend to be found out of doors.  I don't get out of doors very much.  Do you see the problem?  I did have an emergency idea, but it was pretty rubbish and I didn't want to do it.  Thank goodness I didn't have to in the end.

My first attempt at getting a photograph was on Sunday.  I had to go to the shops to get some supplies, so when I went out on my splendid mobility scooter, I took my camera.  I have to go over a major junction to get to the shop so I hoped I would find a sign that I could use.  I took loads of photos and only got two that were worth the time of day.


This photo was not great.  It is busy and is composed appallingly.  However, I decided to keep it rather than delete so it would remind me to go back and take a photograph of this sign from a different angle.  The sign itself is wonderful.  The texture of the concrete and the remains of the sign together are fabulous, but the grass behind it was strewn with lots of leaves.  It made for a very cluttered shot.  I will try and remember to revisit this sign in the Spring when the leaves have all gone.  I will make this into a decent photo - at some point.

The second photo that I liked was this one.


I was so gutted that I hadn't framed this photo properly.  This one was the best of a batch of around 12.  My only excuse was being distracted by the children, who seemed to find my stopping every few metres to take photos amusing.  I had no idea that taking interesting photographs, outside the home, could be so embarrassing.  I guess I'm going to have to toughen up a bit, if I am going to get through the year.

After a day or so of rest to recover from my photographic jaunt, I went out with my camera again.  This time without a following of local children.  I came up with three photographs I liked, and would have been happy submitting any of them.


I love how the sign is weathered and curls up.  I also love the texture of the wood, which I think is captured quite well in this photo.

This next photo is of the same pole, but from a different angle.


I really like this one.  It is so cold and grey and looming.  I think this is a good photograph.  It has good structure and has lots to look at.  I really had to think about whether to submit this or not, but then I remembered that other photographs with very similar structures have already been submitted.  I really didn't want to submit something that wasn't as original as I could make it.

In the end I submitted this photograph.


I went back and managed to get this photograph right the second time.  There was no distractions.  I love the how the faded colour of the sign and the faded and battered bricks work together.  I'm pretty proud of this photo because it took an awful lot of effort to get it.  I think that is the difference between and ok photo and a good one.  It's about going that extra mile to make sure the photo is as good as it can be.  I think that is probably one of the most valuable lessons about photography I can learn during this challenge. 

Apparently, next week's subject is Repetition.  That's going to be interesting.  I imagine there will be all sorts of clever camera trickery going on in the Pool.  Don't expect it on this blog though!

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