Patience and Patterns: The Joy of Photography
Looking through reflections is like looking through a portal to another world. Currently, I’m positioning my Ricoh GR3X up against the glass, duplicating City Hall, with the building in the background.
This location is bustling with pigeons, which I’ve photographed countless times in countless ways. But that’s the fun of it—challenging yourself to photograph the same thing in new ways. How many vantage points can you discover? How many angles can you explore? City Hall, as an icon of the city, offers endless possibilities.
The Joy of Repetition
Nearby, someone is feeding the birds. It’s always fascinating to watch them fly, and I managed to capture a great moment: five pigeons perfectly aligned, with City Hall split into light and shadow. The triangle formed by their position was striking. It’s moments like this that make photography rewarding—finding perfection in spontaneity.
“Repetition is critical. It’s about trying again and again, looking at the same thing with fresh eyes.”
I’ve photographed City Hall through a bus stop, from a simple street corner, vertically, and even with pigeons perched on top of newspaper stands. It’s a constant exercise in observation—lines, shapes, forms—and finding the puzzle pieces that fit together.
Reflections and Portals
Reflections feel like portals into another world. Light and shadow transform the mundane into the magical. The clouds in the background are always shifting, adding new dimensions to familiar scenes.
“The power of photography lies in the fact that you cannot make the same photograph twice.”
City Hall remains a constant, standing tall. But the interplay of light, clouds, and pigeons ensures there’s always something new to discover. It’s a powerful exercise to revisit the same place and find new angles, new stories to tell.
The Challenge of Pigeons
Photographing pigeons is a thrilling challenge. Their spontaneity demands fast reactions and patience. Capturing them mid-flight, wings outstretched, or in unique formations is incredibly satisfying.
“It’s all about patience and pattern recognition.”
With time, the scene evolves. The pigeons take flight, and the patterns shift, offering endless opportunities to create. This process of observing, waiting, and recognizing patterns is what makes photography such a joyous and dynamic art form.