Life’s beauty lies in subtlety

The subtleties of life are what differentiates the special from the mundane.  If one takes time to look around at the simple things in the world, it is there, I believe, that much of the beauty of life can be found.  The glint of sunlight off thawing icicles, the smooth sound of distant waves, the smell of autumn leaves, are all subtle signs of this beauty.  God has left his mark on this world in so many amazing ways, but it is only with clarity of focus that one can better appreciate such things.

Photography is a lot like that.  So many times it is tempting to try to be in the most amazing places at the most amazing times.  Yet, often it is the overlooked subtle things in life that make for some of the most amazing images. 

New York's Greenwich Village 2009 / 紐約的格林威治村2009年

A taxi drives through Greenwich Village at almost 2am on an April night in New York City.  Photo was made in 2009.  紐約的計程車2009年。

Greenwich Village is an interesting place to make photos.  Its old streets while bustling during the day give way to a sense of mystery at night.  It is kind of nice to think back to all the stories that were played out on those streets, by so many of the people that walked them before us. 

This is one of the reasons that I really enjoy taking photos of "older" places.  They bring with them a sense of history.  They were special places to so many of those that lived or visited there before us.  They will hopefully, always be special.

New York City street photo

This photo was snapped on a summer day in Queens, New York.  The hydrant was cracked to allow the neighborhood residents a chance to beat the heat.  I picked up my camera and made this image.

這張照片是在紐約的夏天拍的。  爲了讓人的舒服開了消防栓。  我用我的相機拍這張照片。