"Every picture tells a story, don't it?"

“Every picture tells a story, don’t it? …”

Rod Stewart

Well, they all have something to say. Photography is personal in many ways. Some people create or capture images that evoke strong emotional responses, while others are more subtle. Photography is particular that way, as it can be very personal for the photographer behind the camera, as well as for the person who views the image. Being in the right place at the right time, focused on the right subject can be magical.

I took up photography for a very personal reason, to freeze moments in the lives of our family to make sure that I can revisit them later, regardless of how forgetful I might become. The more pictures I took, the more addicted I became. I wanted to learn how to become a better photographer, so I read a lot and invested in some ‘gear’. But, that is not what matters. The act of framing the shot and making the effort to see the world from slightly different perspective is essential.

Some people are landscape photographers or are focused on macro images, but I like to take pictures that mean something to me. With that in mind, some of my pictures may be utterly worthless to others, but that is fine with me. Take this image for example:

I was on a trip in China and had a few spare moments to visit the Leifeng Pagoda in Hangzhou. These three young ladies were touring the pagoda as well. I was struck by how much they resembled each other. I asked my Chinese colleague if he would translate for me as I asked them if I could take their picture. They were kind enough to agree.

Without prompting or coaching, they immediately struck these poses. I love the result because the image might be very similar if I had taken it on top of the Empire State building with three young women here in the US. People are very similar no matter where you go. The only thing missing is an American teenager duck lipping and mugging for the camera. Can you see it too?

I cited their similar facial features to my colleague as the reason why I wanted to take the picture. Knowing that it was very unlikely that they were sisters, I shared these thoughts with my friend. His response was surprising. He looked at me, in all seriousness, and said, “You know we think that all white people of European decent look alike too.” Our entire group, made up of an American, a Dutchman and several Chinese nationals, burst out laughing.

But, it stuck with me.

A few days later as my flight was getting ready to leave Shanghai, I took a moment to look across the aisle at the fellow travelers. Directly across from me were three middle-aged, white males of European ancestry. And you know what? With the exception of hairstyle and glasses, they looked an awful lot alike. My Chinese friend was right, the fact was that I had never looked at it from his point of view before.

My perspective had changed.

That is why this picture is important to me. It reminds me to be open to a new view. So, whenever I take my camera out for a walkabout, sometimes I just stop and turn in a circle, crouch down and look up, or climb on top of something, just to change my perspective. It is a valuable photography technique and a great life lesson as well.