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Photography teaches the great life lesson to examine things from many different angles.
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What we perceive from a single point of view rarely gives us enough information. We need to not only look more closely, we often need to come at a thing from a different place, too.
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But of course it takes time; and it requires a certain flexibility of mind.
I began taking photos when I was given an old Brownie camera in the late 60s. I was just starting grade school, and the camera went with me on a field trip to Maymont Park in Richmond. I had great fun that spring day exploring the park with my classmates, and taking photos to record it all. That was probably my first real photo outing, and the little black and white photos were precious to me for a long time.
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But in those days, children weren’t encouraged to take a lot of photos. The pictures were expensive to develop, and kids aren’t always the best photographers. A gift of film from my parents was a rare treat.
Eventually, I grew into better and better cameras with lots of lenses and filters, settings and gizmos. Each shot was carefully planned. But what I gained in technique, I often lost in spontaneity.
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Most kids today have their own digital camera built into their phones. Every kid can be a photographer, and there is no expense for film and processing to serve as an obstacle to exploring the world through photos. Taking photos has become a part of daily life.
I wonder whether this freedom to photograph and explore with digital photography changes how today’s kids see their world?
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I was thrilled to use my first digital camera. A memory chip gives one the freedom to take photo after photo of an interesting subject without counting frames. It allows us to explore a subject in depth; to probe, to experiment, to tell a story; and to simply play.
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We can consider our world from every angle, and perhaps broaden our understanding in the process.
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Woodland Gnome 2015
For the Daily Post’s
Weekly Photo Challenge: From Every Angle
Turtles of Virginia
Forest Garden 
Interesting thought about the use of cameras today compared to the cost of taking photos when we were younger. I went to photography college and learnt in a darkroom. Taking snaps digitally is both a blessing and a curse because its easy and cheap to take lots of photos but to really stand and stare and consider that one photo as in the dark room days seems to happen less and less.
That is a good point, Julie. I suppose everyone has their own style. I am a stand and stare photographer- even with the blessing of digital photography. There is always more to see 😉 Thank you for visiting Forest Garden today. WG
This reminds me of an art class in college. There was an object on a pedestal in the middle of the room. We were not allowed to change our position in the room…had to describe and paint the object from our single vantage point. It turned out to be an impossible task.
WG~ This turtle friend of yours is very sweet and cheerful, and seems very happy to be playing with you in the mud and water. Hope you’re having a terrific weekend and enjoying the gorgeous full moon, we went out together and spent a bit of last night with her . . . . looking at her through the lens of a spyglass was incredible and the kids were pretty blown away by all the crystally sparkles and colors that showed up!!
Lenses are such a treat aren’t they? Yesterday I was out by the pond watching the koi eat bugs and it was amazing, then I zoomed in with the camera and wow! In a blink I could see more than a moment ago, like their eyes and how they open their mouths to gulp and do a wavy body move right before and after they’ll pop their heads out, changed my seeing and my train of thoughts too . . . I wonder the same thing about kids with didgi cam access today:: they get an earlier start on visual intimacy with the world that makes for an expanded sensorial experience . . . when I was a child you sort of absorbed by osmosis what was unseen to the eye, maybe it excercised the third eye as a result? . . . what will come I wonder when the eye has such visionary access, then what does the inner eye tune into?? Something new and unknown as yet perhaps 🙂 A happy Sunday to you!~
Thank you, Creekrose, for these lovely and provacative thoughts. Like with so many things, I imagine the results depend entirely on the nature of the kid using the technology. Stimulating the two visible eyes can only serve to also stimulate the inner eye, if its not already calcified in the individual. I wonder though about the new habit of turning one’s camera back on oneself rather than outwards towards the wild world, and we learned to do. So perhaps you were granted a glimpse of the ancient glass enclosures growing from her surface. A sight to remember always, and a rare treat. A happy Sol-Day to you as well, our friend. You must know that my partner luxuriates in the elixir you sent for skin. I also used it to heal a series of bites on my arm which now have nearly disappeared. Thank you for sharing your magic with us. ❤ ❤ ❤ WG
This post brought a smile to my face! Lovely captures of your interesting bog garden visitor – lucky you!
Thank you, Eliza 😉 I haven’t gotten down to the bog garden for a couple of days and it was nearly dry. The poor turtle was hiding out between pots trying to drink from under one of the pots. The more I sprayed water into the bog pond, the happier he seemed. He was a great surprise to find this morning! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend, Eliza- Cheers! WG
It is always delightful to find critters benefitting from our gardens. 🙂 Hugs back!