Old and New

It's not easy to ignore the iconic. And it's difficult to present iconoclastic scenes in an unorthodox manner. But when it all comes together and when the stars align, you just have to take it, right? But that doesn't stop prevent digging for surprises. Sometimes it's a matter of taking a knee. Other times you have to have temerity, scrabble and put yourself through discomfort, risk personal injury, contort. Much more often than not it's fruitless. But once in a while, maybe just from another minute of looking, magic can happen. Try them all-- natural framing, minimizing context, startling arrangements, switching point-of-view, ironic juxtaposition, mystery, deep recession, mimicry, on and on. And, once again, these strategies may apply to other situations than photography. When you're up against a brick wall, brace yourself with a splash of ice water, step back, and try something else. Keep after it.