Same Place – Different View
It has been a while since I have done a Same Place – Different View blog … too long.
We have finally put up the student gallery for Costa Rica’s Treasures, so check it out. The participants did a great job.
As those of you already know who have followed this blog for some time, we encourage our participants to seek their own vision. Often, a photograph of a location may resemble another, but always, the take is different. Sometimes, even the scene is totally different.
In this case, we picked similar shots to show different approaches.
Costa Rica has a remarkably varied landscape, from active volcanoes, to plains, to tropical areas, to cloud forest, and I have not even begun to cover it all. Its biodiversity is astounding and the reason such entities as the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) are headquartered and have several research stations that serve top scientists worldwide, even remotely via the Internet.
That aside, there is a reason that people love to visit Costa Rica.
Take the lush landscape, especially after a rainstorm. We were on our way to another location, and a storm came through. We stopped, scrambled out of our bus, and made many photographs.
Chuck homed in on an area and gave it a dramatic treatment.
Chris did a broader view with a gentler palette.
If you look carefully, you will recognize some of the same elements in both photographs.
There are all sorts of toothsome creatures in Costa Rica down at the coasts. A good reason not to go swimming in the rivers! One fine specimen was sunning himself on a log, ever watchful for a possible meal.
Bill concentrated on the head and captured the glint of light off the eye and teeth.
Patrick took it even further and just showed the awesome row of teeth.
You recognize the same set of teeth in both photographs. Both reminded me of that stanza in the nonsense poem “The Canny Crocodile”:
Sometimes all day on the sand he’d lie,
And deeply and thoughtfully wonder why.
Then he’s smile a slow, inscrutable smile —
This emotional, notional crocodile.
The Guanacaste Tree is the national tree of Costa Rica. Its shape is recognizable from afar, magestic with its arched crown and spreading branches. We were on one of our river trips, and this tree begged to be photographed.
Gary captured the glow that comes with low light coming in behind the subject.
Dave’s version was dark and somber behind the highlighted grasses.
Costa Rica is famous for its amazing variety of birds. It boasts the highest number of species of hummingbirds anywhere in the world … over 50!
After one of our locations, we visited a hummingbird center. It takes patience to photograph these tiny creatures, and they flit here and there, often hovering, but not necessarily where one had the camera focused! Our participants persevered!
Liz captured one swooping down to chase some perceived interloper away.
Heather, new to photography, got one hovering, no mean feat!
The two ladies could not have been more than 15 feet from each other. Same Place – Different View.
It is yet another reminder that there is no one way to photograph a scene. When was the last time you did your own Same Place – Different View?
If you enjoy our blog(s) …
Please SUBSCRIBE. It’s easy to do by clicking on the appropriate link at the top of the right column.
Comments on the blog are always encouraged and welcome.
We also hope you will LIKE this and SHARE this blog with those interested in photography by clicking on the buttons below. We also hope you will check out these links: