I just got back from a very quick photo trip for a couple days to the Cleveland area, about a 3.5 hr drive from where I live. I went primarily to photograph wood ducks in a spot known for their approachability, but also ended up being able to explore some other areas of Ohio I am not familiar with. Ever since visiting Hocking Hills a couple of years ago, the impression of Ohio has changed in my mind considerably. Basically most of my exposure to the state was along the I-75 corridor, mostly flat farmland, and where I go for bird migrations – also flat. But venture into central southern and eastern Ohio, and you discover a vast array of gorges and small canyons that are all part of the Lake Erie watershed, with some decent elevations and waterfalls.
I know waterfalls are often viewed as overdone and perhaps a bit trite as subject matter, but I still like to shoot them. I enjoy them not only for the typical dramatic element to a landscape, but because they create opportunities for a lot of other ‘intimate landscapes’ within and around them. They can be challenging to come up with something original. However, you can do a lot with flowing water – shoot it slow, shoot it fast – shoot it polarized or not – with fall colors or vibrant green spring foliage. I like the image here because it make me think of a water versus rock concept in approaches to photographing certain subjects. The rock shown here isn’t budging, stubborn as can be. The water accepts that the rock is not moving, and simply goes around it.
You can be a rock in your approach to certain subjects, rarely moving from your comfort zone – only turning or moving if someone forces you. You can avoid subjects like waterfalls completely – because they have been ‘done to death.’ On the other hand, perhaps as a rock you have found your place and there is no reason to move. Or you can be water, and move and flow in whatever environment you find yourself in, try to make the best of a situation. Sometimes you are predictable, other times not so much. Having a rock attitude or a water attitude can greatly influence how we perceive the world around us and in our viewfinders. It greatly affects our ability to react to adverse situations.
I have my rock days, and my water days. I probably have rock attitudes and water attitudes towards specific subjects also. As long as we recognize these factors of our perception, we may be able to move past creative hurdles and boundaries.
