The Way We See

It is the last day of school, the last half day to be precise, before Christmas break.  And since I have a first period conference, I start the day with silence or with the music of my choice.  Today I choose silence.  Knowing that I tend to be easily overstimulated, I have not even plugged in the tree this morning.  One of my students will do that. 

As I sit in my windowless room, I recall a photo sent to me by my friend Mark Carlson this morning.  It is an office in Madrid with one side made entirely of glass. 

Working in such a place must surely change one’s perspective on his or her surroundings.  Working in an office with a side of glass also exposes said worker to the world outside--much like writing a blog exposes said writer…

Sometimes, once I enter the cave that is this school, I completely forget the world around me.  My friend Maggie Mizell stopped me in the hall after lunch yesterday to tell me that I should step outside the front side door of the school and look at the leaves on the sidewalk.  I did.  And they were almost overwhelming in their unexpected beauty. 

I am thankful for friends like Maggie and Mark who bring me outside myself.

Sometimes I turn to photography to transport myself.  A few years ago, I attended a pop culture conference in San Francisco, and while the conference was indeed interesting, what I remember most was the surrounding city and the wealth of photographic opportunities it offered me.  I was intrigued by the way the time of day

or night could color a location 

or how a change of viewpoint could add tension and excitement to a shot.

Sometimes it is repetition that creates interest.

And sometimes everyday objects, such as hoses and hydrants,

can become works or art, whether intentionally or inadvertently. 

Sometimes it is the window itself that is the most important. 

 

Photographer Elliott Erwitt said, "To me, photography is an art of observation.  It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.  I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."

I look forward to the next couple of weeks and a change of perspective.