Today’s photographs are not suggested by the Zen Camera book, but seem to be in the spirit and intention of the book. I went out looking for pictures this afternoon and I made two changes to my typical practice: I switched the lens to manual focus, and I left my glasses at home. I have quite poor vision. Getting things in sharp focus is a bit of a challenge at the best of times so I generally hope autofocus will do a good enough job. So today, with my blurry eyes and no electronic focusing help I shot pics. I noticed I was shooting pics i very likely would not if I had my glasses on, and I don’t really know why I shot some of the pics I did. Naturally, many just turned out bad. Not intriguing bad, or quirky bad. Just bad. But I liked how others turned out. Out of focus pictures are curious. If they are just a little out of focus they look like a mistake, then there is a level of out-of-focus that seems attractive and mysterious, and then there is a level of out-of-focus that just seems like a senseless blur. I think these fall in that midrange.
This is scene that often captures my eye. I think its because of the curving path. The blur and darker background make this pathway look a little more ominous
I took several looking up at the trees and sky pics. Definitely more than I would typically. Once again we have a curving “path” and darkness.
I couldn’t tell you why I thought to take this and yet there is something about it that keeps bringing me back.
There is this small stand of about a dozen pine trees that were planted in a clearing on the property. I’ve used it for several pictures. I don’t think I had ever noticed this formation.