Week 49 - Our Internal Lens

Slow Descent

With each image we make, there is a view of the world we bring to the moment. It may reflect a momentary state of mind or be a broader outlook refined by our experiences and perspective.

Landscape photography is often an idealized vision of the world - pretty pictures of pretty places. While some might consider that low-hanging fruit, I don't - creating what inspires you is essential. Many of the photos in this project reflect that. However, this image goes in a different direction.

Street photography is grittier than landscape. This photo is about decline, literal and figurative, and the impact of time. On the left is a chain-locked door with peeling paint, marked with an 'x' suggesting no entry. The time-worn masonry is cracking.

A single figure, small in the frame, complements the surroundings as he carefully descends the road, cane in hand. It would seem consistent with the setting. Yet, there is nothing in his bearing that suggests frailty or weakness.

I have photographed here before, drawn in by the rich shapes and textures. But on this occasion, a passerby provides another fundamental feature of black-and-white photography - capturing narrative.

f7.1 1/125 sec ISO 200 December 6, 2022