When the ordinary becomes extraordinary

The view from my window is nothing spectacular: a bunch of old buildings, train tracks, and some hills in the background. A very ordinary view.

Every morning, I take a quick peak to check on the fog and rain. This morning didn't look special at all. But as I continued to work on my coffee, some low clouds appeared and started to play with the hills in the background. When the Sun rose, the show was on. I grabbed my camera and captured it.

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As a photographer, I want to capture the extraordinary. This place isn't Yosemite, but in many ways and under the right conditions, it can make for images that tell a more compelling story.

We love to hear stories of normal people overcoming obstacles or becoming something bigger than themselves. I believe this is the same with the subjects and places we photograph: the ordinary is usually overlooked but when it becomes extraordinary, it has a lot to say.

The Church in Mösern

A couple of days ago and while driving around Mösern, I stumbled upon a church located in an incredible vantage point. Surrounded by mountains, it seems as though a photographer placed it there.

As the forecast was predicting quite a bit of snow up there for the next few days, I knew yesterday would be my only chance to photograph it again. So I went back.

This is the contact sheet. As you can see, I worked the scene from different angles and at different focal lengths. They require some more work, but I love two of those shots.

Ditch the viewfinder

Update: I've published a video where I talk about this.

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Daido Moriyama explains why he doesn't like SLR cameras in his documentary "Near Equal" (10:02):

"If you use a SLR, you see things like this (through the viewfinder)
[...]
and when you do this, you want to have perfect focus"

I've been shooting compact cameras for a few weeks now and I have to agree with Daido.

Viewfinders put you inside your image. Using the LCD screen keeps you in the present, aware of your environment. You don't see the fine details, only the big picture of what you are trying to create. You don't worry as much about the exposure or the focus.

All of this makes for a more spontaneous photography, and creates imagery that comes from the gut.

I've been trying to apply street photography principles to landscape and fine art, as opposed to the more meditative and slower process that is usually involved in the making of this kind of images. Instead of adjusting my composition and settings to perfection, I take in my surroundings: the sounds, the smells, the textures, the colors. And then I shoot what feels right.

I don't think either approach is better or worse than the other, and images might not be that different after all. I do enjoy the process more this way, though, and in that sense it's been liberating.

I'd encourage you to give this a try: ditch the viewfinder and embrace the LCD screen for a distraction-free photography.