Of statues and buildings. A Saturday trip.
Phoenix, AZ. 11/4/2017
So I go downtown with the idea to shoot some buildings as last time due to freeway repairs I had been forced to take pictures at a different location. On this trip an idea got reinforced, one I had heard around the topics of creativity and inspiration before. I get there before dawn, at first I'm tempted into taking out my tripod to be able to take pictures under dim light but I remember a friend of mine that has a theory that it is in fact the tripod that attracts the police or security guards to come and ask you why are you taking pictures of buildings thinking you some sort of terrorist. I decide I wasn't really up for those kinds of distractions. As dawn comes around, I was able to get some building photographs that turned out nice, but I decided to make this post about something different which ties into the lesson that got reinforced during this outing. It has to do with letting yourself be curious about something but not to get fixated with it. Many times it is curiosity which fuels creativity, and gets you moving but often times the end result has little to do with what got you started in the first place. You need to remain open to the cues it gives you and allow it to change subjects if needed. You can of course come back to the original cue, much like I'm sure I'll be coming back to the idea of shooting buildings, but I'm glad that I let myself switch gears.
As I walk around, shooting some buildings vertically against the sky, framing others with their neon signs, and just as I'm framing one in particular I get pulled towards some statues that were caught inside one of my shots.
I found myself immersed in them, completely oblivious to the passage of time, with an object that first appeared while framing the theater center, the statues that were secondary to the building at first, suddenly became the center of my attention.
I would zoom in, zoom out, walk around, try different angles, loving each and everyone.
There's a special kind of rush when you loose yourself in the moment like that, that extends even to the post-processing stage, a peculiar thrill as I manipulate the image, akin to being in love.
I just need to remind myself that what I originally intended to do, can't become an obstacle to what the situation calls for.
Andres Gonzalez
