Photography has always been about documentary, the depiction of the instant, a moment, sometimes a place. Each project is somehow an experimentation of a specific context or a character.~Hedi Slimane

Experiments push the boundaries of the ordinary, traditional shot.  I am sure you have all had the experience of visiting a famous site and tourists are lined up taking the same shot one after the other.  One of the delights of exploring photography is pushing your visual boundaries, and opening yourself up to new perspectives and new ways of viewing the world.

Here are 3 shots for Krista’s “experimental” theme this week.

Finding Love In Unexpected Places

Let us see how high we can fly before the sun melts the wax in our wings. ~Edward O. Wilson

This glowing neon heart was hanging on the wall of an industrial warehouse–reinvented as an artist studio.  My challenge was to capture it–and make it a visual surprise for the viewer.

Clouds in Unexpected Places

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This building in downtown Grand Rapids is being transformed. Its glossy blue reflective panels (circa 1980) are being removed, revealing the century-old weathered brick facade underneath.  I wanted to visualize the contrast between the “old” and the “new”–and by a happy accident, I captured several clouds reflected in the blue panels at the top corner of the building.

Light on Steel

Art, like life, should be free, since they are both experimental. (George Santayana)

The light hitting this steel sculpture created a startling design, similar to rushing swirls of water.  The challenge here was to create an image that seems to pulse and glow with light.

Another note about experiments. Even the ones that “fail” because they do not meet our expectations or do not create the desired effect–still teach us something.  After several hours of experimenting with a new Photoshop technique this weekend, I came away with a disappointing end result.  Still, I still learned some new post-processing tricks that I’ll use again.

For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving–have a great holiday.  And for everyone who follows my blog– have an inspiring and joyful week!

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