Serendipity

Sometimes life drops blessings in your lap without you lifting a finger. Serendipity, they call it. – Charlton Heston

When it comes to my photography pursuits, I try my best not to set any agendas in mind before I venture out for a shoot. Naturally I will make sure my camera equipment is organized, my batteries are fully charged up and I am dressed properly for the weather. Occasionally I will check the weather forecast to see if it is accommodating, but other than that, I don’t put a lot of emphasis on looking out for specific subjects to shoot. “I am going out for a wander” as I like to say to myself. I am open to anything out there that may interest me. I believe in order to cultivate our creativity, we have to keep an open mind and be receptive for all of the opportunities that are available.

The reason I enjoy outdoor photography is knowing a lot of the elements are out of my control. I know my experience are incidental and temporary. That’s what excites me the most about photography, the ever changing and not knowing what may happen around the corner.

Take for this image I took of my friend Holly at one of the evening shoots we had together at the Roger Williams Park. I remember during that moment, the lights around the grandstand were suddenly lit up. I found the structure together with the pleasant lighting could make for a beautiful image. I walked quickly towards the grandstand trying to capture the moment. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw someone walking alongside the river facing the grandstand. I could vaguely made out it was Holly as I adjusted my eyesight to the changing lighting condition, but I was not sure. Street photography is not my strong suit, but instinct told me the right elements were working in my favor, despite them happening so quickly. I didn’t have the time to check the settings prior to taking the image, yet I pushed the shutter button quickly.

When I checked my images taken on that evening a couple of days later, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the image turned out. There were things I didn’t notice when I was at the scene, but I was happy to see Holly turning her face towards the grandstand at the right moment when I took the image. It looked to me Holly was enjoying her stroll. By luck, the outfit she had on that evening had this lovely fuchsia color which made her stand out from her surroundings. With the lights on around the grandstand for just that short moment, all the elements came together at the right time for me to make a gratifying environmental portrait.

Serendipity doesn’t need to be left to pure chance. I believe the more we put ourselves out there, there more likely we may encounter those serendipitous moments. Pick up your camera to shoot, anything, anywhere. Instead of putting so much focus in having the right setting, the perfect composition, work with your intuition, point randomly and shoot. Come what may. Life abounded in opportunities.

#Creativity