Finding Beauty in the Mundane: Turning Ordinary Locations into Magic
I always always have people ask me, "How do you find these locations!?"
"Where did you take this?"
Don't get me wrong, I love a good waterfall or a photoshoot on the side of a mountain. You can't really beat that.
But let's be honest: the majority of photographers don't have those type's of landscapes at their fingertips.
Unless you live in the PNW. And if so, you're a lucky son of a gun and I'm jealous.
But for those of us that live in, oh, let's say, the mid-south (the flattest place on earth) You are forced to get creative and make your own magic out of what you do have.
There's something beautiful about being able to take an ordinary spot and turn it into something useable, much less beautiful.
So I decided to share a few things I use to find wow-worthly locations despite surroundings that may seem bland at first glance.
Textures.
Textures. You can find them anywhere and everywhere, If you are paying attention. Brick buildings, grass, tree trunks, even those wooden privacy fences everyone has.
Texture adds a little something to the photo without it taking away the focus from the subject of your photo.
Shadows and Light
Probably my favorite, and the most useful tool in the photography world, is l i g h t.
It's everywhere. And every hour, it changes. So you can look at the same place 6 different times in one day and it can be totally different each time.
I've been pushing myself lately to take full advantage of the light and shadows that I find, and trying to take advantage of it.
Symmetry and Lines
Nothing is quite as esthetically pleasing to me as symmetry. Something about the lines, the neat-ness makes me all giddy and happy inside, while also frustrating me to my core. Getting everything perfectly lined up and straight may drive me crazy, but it's totally worth it in the end.
Colors.
I. LOVE. BOLD. COLORS.
Nothing is as attention grabbing, mood-lifting, and fun as bright colors that pop.
(can you guess which color I automatically gravitate towards the most?)
I feel like different colors can bring out my subject's personalities and mood.
