Day is Done

Posted by GJC (Kyoto (京都), Japan) on 6 April 2009 in Landscape & Rural.

This is one of those strange photos that happen every once in a while. After I finished taking hundreds of shots at the old Shinto shrine directly behind this scene (one posted earlier here), I headed for home. Seeing the radiant light on the landscape I snapped this one photo and then kept walking. In the end, I deleted almost all the photos from the day's shoot and yet this one, my very last photo taken on a whim directly into the sun and with little attention to the mechanics of the shot, somehow spoke to me more powerfully than all the others I had so carefully composed over the last few hours.

That doesn't mean I think "spontaneous" shots like this are better than composed ones -- after all 99% of the photos on Yakumo's World pay very close attention to composition. But it struck me that I often have to wade through a lot of trouble to arrive at something that turns out to be very simple. Yet if I hadn't taken all those other (deleted) photos, I wouldn't have been ready to see this one. It all works out. Isn't photography great...

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Comments (22)

Mirko Herzner from Germany

Yes, photography is great. Especially your's. It is good to hear that you have such a relaxed feel to it. A worthy image for sure.

6 Apr 2009 8:05am

Ian Bramham from Manchester, United Kingdom

Hi GJC! - lovely photo with a fascinating look to the light!

Yes, that kind of thing happens to me as well. It's certainly part of what makes photography such a fascinating thing to do.

6 Apr 2009 8:23am

Anita from West Nottingham, United States

Love the shapes of the silhouetted trees. Very nice.

6 Apr 2009 10:00am

cat from Tel Aviv, Israel

I think sometimes your photos are _about_ light! The light is always something I notice in them and enjoy. This is wonderful, especially the almost-black shades in the trees and the warmth of the houses.
I liked your description. I think sometimes there's a sort of rhythm to photography, where it's not simply planning and not simply "shoot randomly", but more like catching a ball without thinking about it - you're both alert and not alert to the world around you.

6 Apr 2009 10:02am

MrsAmber from West Wickham, United Kingdom

Yes these things happen all the time; I often find my first shot is the best one; when I see something, take a picture of it quickly incase it disappears and then start fussing over more pictures! Photography is great! This picture is lovely with the light dancing in and out of the shot!

6 Apr 2009 11:18am

Ian from United Kingdom

It is a fascinating process, thinking about it. Some days, you just know that your arms are working against you, that the same shots you're seeing today as yesterday just aren't satisfactory, and yet one or two moments will come along (and cat put it brilliantly) to which you react quite automatically, you grab them, and they tend to save your day! It's quite radically different to the practice of drawing, I think, where you negotiate with the thing you're producing for, say, 2 hours; you're constantly working the subject, pushing it. Photography is perhaps a little more selfless, and hence less self-conscious.

I like today's picture (and great story to accompany it)! The light's very fierce and strong on that bank, offset nicely by the impression of trees and hills in the distance.

6 Apr 2009 11:25am

Jonas from Vitória, Brazil

I guess every photographer can recognize himself in the story you wrote. And you're right, this one has a very special quality in composition (even spontaneous) and light. It's like for jazz musicians, they need to rehearse a lot, working very very hard, just to feel free for improvisation much later.

6 Apr 2009 1:06pm

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

This is absolutely gorgeous! The light is wonderful and I just love your framing. The trees in the foreground really make you stop and look beyond.

6 Apr 2009 1:14pm

jim from sebastopol, United States

it has been my experience that simplicity is achieved either through accident or very hard work.

6 Apr 2009 2:47pm

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

This is a wonderful image. Whatever process you use to get to images like this, keep using it.

6 Apr 2009 2:55pm

Tracey from Maryland, United States

Yes, it is great. I find the same thing sometimes. I have in my mind what I want and spend hours trying to perfect in. Then, in the end, I like the spontaneous ones better. I think it is more of an emotional high when I get a spontaneous treasure. It is like opening a gift.

6 Apr 2009 3:17pm

Rob from Velveetaville, United States

Wonderful capture and yes, sometimes that first or last capture of the day seems to be "the" one no matter how hard you try. Some days, there are none too but that's okay, just get up the next day and try again.

Thanks for stopping by and the nice comments, I always appreciate them.

Rob

6 Apr 2009 3:52pm

daina from New York, United States

Your description of how you took this wonderful image I think would resonate with most photographers. One can’t always rely on studied and careful shooting nor can one always count on happy “chance.” The photography gods are fickle and one day one can do no wrong and on another one has to delete practically everything one spent hours on gathering. Much also depends on how we are feeling, and I have found no way to accurately to predict how I will do based on mood for it seems to go deeper than just surface disposition - one needs to be in the “zone” (which is what I think Cat was describing really well). One also needs just plain old luck – to be in the right place at the right time when the light is just so or elements fall into place for one brief instant. Unlike painting or drawing, in which being in the zone is quite enough and the outer world is not that necessary, the practice of photography needs both the inner zone and outer fortune. Beautiful shot GJC

6 Apr 2009 6:27pm

Marcie from United States

Exquisite color of light. Love the composition..how you've seen and captured this.

6 Apr 2009 6:30pm

Liang from San Francisco, United States

i like the shady approach, looks like a long day there... =D

6 Apr 2009 7:28pm

Sugata from Newark, United States

Wow! I love that golden light!

6 Apr 2009 9:08pm

Sidney from Manila, Philippines

Indeed... a very special picture... wonderful golden light !

7 Apr 2009 1:35am

Georgie from Orem, United States

That is gorgeous! I want to hang it on my wall!

7 Apr 2009 3:15am

Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States

I do that too often. I can't explain it, but I call it you-have-to-be-there phenomenon. Too often when I was absolutely sure of a beautiful snap, but the file ended up in deletion afterward when viewed on my computer. Can't explain it but again- you-have-to-be-there. Other than the light, shadow, scene... I think the mood is different and it can make or break the same photo. But then again, in a beautiful place like this, you really can't go wrong in any scene. Beautiful shot and good choice.

7 Apr 2009 5:30pm

grant from kansas city, United States

i love the shot and your explanation of the circumstances. i'm continually struck by how many shots i thought would be good are in fact not, and by the few happy times when it works the other way around.

8 Apr 2009 7:58pm

zanfifotos from Pignans, France

maybe that just means that technics don't do it all, the eye have it all, the light does the pic, being spontanuous is one quality for a photographer, i love that pic by end of the day

9 Apr 2009 4:29am

Anita from West Nottingham, United States

Yes, photography is great! Thanks for the reminder that we must work hard to get one good image. I think all the careful photos you take teach you to "see" light and composition.

9 Apr 2009 10:49am

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