I’ve had a break from my morning habit of taking out my toy box to make photographs. In my universe, it has been a long break! Almost six month. You might be wondering why; the answer is simple – I simply haven’t had any inspiration.
I have already seen that picture
I know that the lack of inspiration is not a real explanation. Inspiration usually comes if I decide to photograph. So maybe lack of inspiration isn’t the true reason. I have felt that it’s hard to find something to explore. I haven’t found any stories that I want to tell with my toys, or maybe I have told all my stories before… One effect of this has been a lack of motivation, and a lack of willingness to photograph toys… Why should I go out and shoot when I don’t have any idea of what the outcome will be?
It’s your kind of light
I have found myself in this pit for a while. Maybe I’m still there. But I can say it all changed one day when my husband said:
– It’s your kind of light out there. Why don’t you go out?
That sentence got me to put on my shoes and take my toy box in one hand, my camera in the other and I went out to photograph. But I’m not sure if I went out to do toy photography or to play with the light reflecting in and around the toys. My husband’s words about the light got me to see one of the things that is essential to me and why I come back to toy photography time after time…and that is the light.
The light itself enchants me.
It is good to see your photos and words again.
Thank you Alice in Cleveland, I’m glad that you are glad!
Beautiful photos and words. I’ve always loved the light in your photos, so I’m very glad to see your photos again!
Thanks Lizzi that make me glad to hear. I really like your work as well 🙂
Nice to see your work again… lack of inspiration? I know the feeling! I haven’t found any in many months, hoping to find some soon.
Glad to see you’ve seen the light 😉
The light is essential without it there are no photographs. I hope you will find the inspiration to photograph soon.
I have to say that this post comes at the right moment for me. A big part of my evolution as a photographer is related to how I perceive the light. Photography made me see light in a way that most people don’t. I really have that feeling of living on another world when I say to people that the light is amazing and they don’t seem to care. After having spent almost 4 weeks living at 65º North, I’ve reached another level when it comes to enjoying the light. Most of the photos I’ve taken during the past months have been about hunting for my “kind of light” (which isn’t that easy as it is dark or cloudy most of the time). It’s been a while that I wanted to do it, but this new blog post was the excuse I needed to go back to some of your older posts. In particular the one titled “I challenge myself with the light”. It feels like since the last time I read it, I’ve learned so much by paying attention to the light that I understand what you meant in a completely different way than before. And it’s most likely that this new blog post wouldn’t have resonated so much with me if you had written it a few months ago.
wow, you just made me breathless 🙂 Thank you! I have seen your work from the trip you did in Sweden and Finland – and I think it’s was so fun to see your work with toys and light – so enchanting! Working with photography have made me aware of the light and different lights and colors of light… It differ a great deal during winter-time and summer-time and de time of the day. The environment can also change the value of the light. The light is a source of photography as I see it 🙂 Once again thank you for all your nice words. /kristina
I absolutely love lighting! It is tricky to get just the right lighting and I’m fickle when it comes to making it just right. Sometimes the right light is only there for a small moment. A few months ago I was out shooting at place called three peaks under a small juniper tree. Out of the blue, a ray of sunlight broke through the shade of the tree and lit up the moss and twigs surrounding my scene in the most uniquely awesome glow. I quickly filled my camera with shots at a few different angles and then it was gone. Just like that the scene looked dead. After that moment it was hard to match any pictures after to that light. I am greatful I was setup at exactly that spot and moment to get such a glimpse of that elusive light!
Yes I know that feeling, and the joy of getting those moments. Light shifts all the time and that is one of the challenges with doing photography. I almost feels like a light chaser when I’m out. I change spot to get the right light. I go to different locations to find the light I’m looking for. Light is essential. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I’ll join the general consensus here as, like yourselves, I believe light plays a critical part in what we are trying to achieve. We have little molded pieces of plastic and metal that, in some way look unnatural (I shoot Lego minifigures and they are an approximation at best). I feel that, along with surroundings and background, light brings these miniature representations to life. Kudos to your husband for reminding you.
🙂 I’m not sure I think that Lego-figures are the best, they are so stiff. But they work well in backlight 🙂
Thanks a lot for your post! I’m very glad to meet you! You have a very special kind of creativity and in my opinion, the light is the key word in your works ! Can’t wait for your new shots!
Kind Regards,
Ann.
Thank you Ann, I have to say that the pleasure is mine to meet you too. Yes light is essential for me, it’s one of the triggers for me. I really like you way of working with colors 🙂 I’m eger to see your work as well. All my best Kristina
Wonderful thought! (And I also like that your husband notices it’s you kind of light outside.)
In German, one word for a picture’s subject is <i<Motiv. The same German word can also mean “motive”, as in reason for doing something. For a photographer, I think, light is one of the best Motive in both senses of the word.
Thanks for reminding me!
You are welcome 🙂 It’s the same in Swedish motive and subject is the same.