At the very end of my senior year of High School my English teacher invited a local artist in to speak to the class.* He was a local photographer, who I had seen around school events and around town. In 90s standards he was an odd fellow, not creepy just odd.**
Anyway, he brought in a selection of his photos. (Earlier that year I had helped to hang an art show at the local college and his work was in the adjoining gallery.) One of his photos was of a white horse in a meadow, it was clear there had just been a rain shower and the horse was doing horse things. I don’t remember the horse’s pose, only that it was dramatic. What was most memorable about this image was the lighting, it was a perfect example of golden hour lighting.
He used the image as an example of why you should look AWAY from the thing you think is the most interesting thing around you. That in order to truly see something amazing you have to look around and sometimes AWAY from the sure shot. Away from the easy image.
If he hadn’t looked away from the sure shot of the sunset he’d never have seen the horse cavorting around in the paddock. In order to get one image he had to give up the other.
It’s a lesson that has stuck with me through the years. Often I’ve looked at a scene or thought of an idea and I’ve asked myself, “What if I looked away?”
*I am sure this is because she was mentally done with the year.
**He was always around sporting events and chatting up anyone who was around. He was friendly just different.