Now I don't spend a hundred percent of my time in the studio photographing.
All though I do wander about with my camera on occasion. Often times with no specific
plan or subject in mind, just looking for what I call the found image.
The found image is the image that is there if you are paying close enough attention to your surroundings and are prepared to make a picture. I always see lots possible shots, but for one reason or another the image escapes my grasp. The light is wrong; I don’t have the right lens with me, no tripod. A million reasons mostly but mostly because I wasn’t prepared.
In some ways the found image can be more rewarding to me. I don’t have the control
that I do in the studio, but if everything comes together just right and I am
prepared, I feel extremely fortunate to take that picture. It’s like finding a rare gem
or gold in the backyard.
Here’s a prime example.
One morning on my way to the studio I had to take a detour because a warehouse building had a fire and the street I normally took was closed. The building was completely destroyed except for a corner of the building next to the street. On my way home as I passed the section of wall that was still standing the sunlight was streaming through the window and highlighting the smoke patterns on the glass. It was cool. Of course I didn’t have a camera with me (I failed to plan ahead). The next day I did take a camera, but the day was over cast. No luck the rest of the week. The next Monday they tore down the rest of the wall and the shot was gone forever. If I would have just taken my camera with me the first day I would have that image.
Here are 2 found images from the last couple of months.
