On April 21 of this year, I went to Table Mountain Ecological Preserve again with a few friends, and a model. The day was partly cloudy, and the temperature was pleasant, in the upper 70s F. The crowds were variable and spotty, and the wind only picked up in the afternoon. We arrived at 9:00 am and left at 3:40 pm.
This is my second post about Table Mountain, the first one can be found on this link. My previous post was centered on impressionistic photography, but I also showed a few landscape photographs and gave some pointers about the location.
My message today is simple: whenever possible, try to find a story to photograph. Maybe it will keep viewers’ attention for a little longer and facilitate discussion about it. Not that we always need to discuss photographs, but it is nice to be able to tell others why we took a picture and talk about the concept behind it. That is often more interesting than discussing the various technical aspects of a photograph that does not tell a story or convey an idea.
Who hasn’t been part of one of those critique groups where someone pulls out a mug shot, everyone critiques it, and you feel like screaming, “But WHY did you take this picture?”
In the FEATURED PHOTOGRAPH (f/18, 1/320, ISO 320), the ground and the tufted poppies are the same on both sides of the fence, illustrating the idea that nature cares not about what we perceive as “ours” and “theirs.” It is a simple photo that prompts introspection about the ideas of separation, keeping out, or marking territory by staying in. From a compositional standpoint, it takes advantage of the leading lines of the barbwire fence. I took it with my 24-70mm 2.8 lens at 24mm, handheld. Yes, there was a breeze, and not every poppy is tack sharp, and I could have used photo stacking so that the entire fence would be sharp. But I ask, is it necessary to have every technical aspect of a photo perfect to tell a story?
In celebration of Earth Day, I had our model pose with delicate wildflowers (without stepping on them; she positioned herself on a bare rock) to convey the idea of youth and renewal: a beautiful young lady enjoying the spring of her life among beautiful flowers that, like youth itself, only last one short season.
I have a few photos of Table Mountain on my Pixels website, if you are interested, follow this link.
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It is all about the light 
Wonderful commentary on why we are taking photographs – storytelling ☺️
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Thank you. It’s always good to pause and ask.
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Wow, the colors in your post and your pixels site jump off the page. Wow, very beautiful.
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Thank you.
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I like the idea of the wildflowers not being constrained by the human element, the fence.
The vertical braided wire at the far left is very close to the frame of the photograph. Did you consider including a little more space to the left of the braid?
The shadows cast on the model’s face by a lacy part of the umbrella are a nice touch.
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I think in one often my versions I have done that and I’ll look for it. Thais for the suggestion.
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Your photo of the fence reminded me of a photo I took near the ‘three points,’ where Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado meet. There’s a road that runs along the Kansas/Oklahoma border where the landscape’s almost identical on both sides of the dirt road. It’s another way of supporting your point about boundaries. Flip the photo horizontally, and it appears to be a mirror image.
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In my work we monitor instect pests and it is interesting when a pest appears in the state but near the state lines and that triggers a number of warnings. Like nature really cares weather the insect is on this or that side of the border 😉
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It’s hard to tell stories with photos, let alone one photo. I really like these. The story in the first one is subtle but I really like it!
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It is very true that it’s not easy to tell stories with photos. If I had not told the intended stories of mine, it is possible that most people would not articulate the thought that one was intended. But we are better off if we try ( to tell a story).
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