| You're hiking through a National Forrest and everything | | | | Try getting down on your belly and shooting up at the |
| seems designed on a grand scale. Huge trees reach | | | | mushroom. Now you can see the dark fins that make |
| to the sky. The surrounding mountains look like they | | | | up the dome. You see lines, shape, and contrast. Your |
| could be home to the Gods. It's very easy to get over | | | | subject has balance and interaction. You have gone |
| whelmed and feel kind of small. At times like this you | | | | from just seeing a small round dome, to seeing the |
| need to be in tune with what you feel. If you feel small, | | | | entire structure. |
| try shooting small. | | | | The same could be said of a small flower. Everyone |
| Too many people spend their time looking up and far | | | | shoots flowers looking straight into the bloom. Have |
| away. Take time to see where you are. Be different, | | | | you ever seen one from behind and up? Include the |
| try looking down occasionally. A mushroom or a single | | | | stem, the leaves, the sepals (those little green petals |
| flower could be missed if you only focus on what is in | | | | behind the flower). Capture the texture of the small |
| front of you. In the eyes of the creator, even the small | | | | hair like things covering the stem. See the moisture of |
| things are all part of the grand design. | | | | early morning dew as it runs down the length of the |
| Most photographers only take photos from their | | | | plant. Rather than looking at the petals, try looking |
| perspective (height wise). This is a big mistake. If you | | | | through them. Most flower petals are almost |
| are a photographer that is anywhere from five to six | | | | translucent if they are backlit by the sun. |
| feet tall and look down what do you see? You see | | | | If you feel overwhelmed with the huge things in life, |
| small things that are distorted because of where you | | | | think how a worm must feel. What most people just |
| are looking from. | | | | walk on by; can feel just as grand and awe inspiring |
| Let's take a mushroom for example; from above you | | | | from his perspective. If you want a true photographic |
| see the top of a small round dome. Think of the most | | | | challenge, try spending a day shooting from a worms' |
| interesting building you have ever seen. If you saw it | | | | eye view. Regardless of size, you will still find the |
| from directly above, would it still seem interesting? | | | | things that make your subject interesting are the basic |
| Now if you get down on the same level as the | | | | elements of design. Lines, shape, contrast, and balance |
| mushroom, you can see the overall shape of the | | | | are only a few of the things that can open new |
| dome, the stem, and how the two interact. Definitely | | | | worlds to the unseen eye. If you are looking for new |
| more interesting, but aren't you still missing something? | | | | photographic insight, remember the worms' eye view. |