Photography Tips - Finding Beauty in Mundane Things
Discovering Beauty in Mundane Things
When I started my photography adventures after retiring from the university, I would always go out to my garden and take pictures of almost anything that I find there. Since I have a very small garden, most of my pictures were that of flowers, insects, raindrops and anything that catches my fancy. However, during times that the rain is too heavy for raindrops photos, I would wander inside the house and look for something to focus my camera on. That’s when I learned to focus on mundane things and find beauty in them. So how do we find beauty in mundane things?
what is it?
Change your angle or perspective
If you change the angle or perspective at which you view something, then you discover a new facet that you have never seen before and that is when the fun starts.
Just take a look at the first photo on the right. Can you guess what this is? I submitted this photo to a magazine that had a contest on “what is it?” and happily I won. Can you believe that? Anyway, what is your guess?
Take a look at the second photo on the right. Have you ever looked at this object this way? Can you guess what it is?
A challenge
What is shown in the photo above?
challenge #2
Can you guess what?
Move closer
Just like changing angles, moving closer when you are looking at something makes you discover a new point to focus on. Then you discover a unique symmetry or pattern or texture of that thing. You do not have to guess what the first photo is . Do you see how this shoelace exhibits what a friend told me as “sliding symmetry”?
The second photo exhibits not only symmetry but patterns that normally we do not pay much attention to.
symmetry and pattern
This photo below is something that you may have encountered several times at home but never looked at in this manner.
painting with light
use the light
Since photography is “painting with light”, another way of bringing out the beauty in mundane things is to use the light to enhance the mundane thing. I use the way the light is reflected on the gift wrapper and seen through a transparent bowl to bring out the beauty of these soap bubbles. Don’t you agree that the bubbles make a pretty picture?
a dozen other ways
I am sure there are a dozen other ways of bringing out the beauty in mundane things but these three are what I have discovered for now. If you have other ways, please share them here. I would greatly appreciate it.
Some of My Other Photography Hubs
Comments
I like your Hub. Gorgeous photographs. Thanks.
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Thank you very much James. You always inspire me with your comment.
It is great I enjoyed the little details that close up pictures give from a certain angle.
fvohra
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Hello fvohra,
Thank you very much for dropping by. I'm happy that you enjoyed the photos. Sometimes we miss seeing those details if we don't look close enough.
Jill,
Awesome! Awesome! I have a good friend who thinks and photographs like this. In fact i use his pictures quite often. I have never really had an interest in photography, but after seeing his artistic perspectives I am inspired to give it a try. Now looking at your photos along with great information I am even more encouraged. I really like how you see things. I have you pictured as a very fun person! thanks for sharing this hub.
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Hi Coffeesnob,
Thank you for your inspiring comment. It's great to know that you also have a friend interested in taking photos of mundane things. Between the two of us we might be able to encourage you to try your hand at photography. It's really fun! Then there will be three of us comparing notes and sharing photos. I have more photos in my photoblog. The link is found below. Thank you for visiting.
There is (or was) a fascinating blog called "Hints & Guesses" built around photographs of mundane objects (or parts of objects) close up.
I read somewhere there are two types of photographers: those who shoot from far way to get the whole picture, and those who shoot close in to capture a look or an expression, or one object framed in an unusual way to bring attention to it. I'm one of the second category. Except for a great sunset or something similar, most wide angle shots leave me cold. What's the point?
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Thanks for the info about the blog. I will google if it's still there.
Hey, we are two of a kind, I also belong to the second category. However, I have also learned to shoot from far away since I joined a camera club. When I started my photography, I was always shooting close up and macro. I think it's a carry over from my microscope days in school.
Sometimes people would look at me strangely because in a location for example, I am bending over and focusing on a blade of grass or a broken glass while all the others are taking each others pictures or the scene around. Ha ha.
You have the eye for finding beauty and creating it with angle, light, and magnification. You have a real talent. Very pretty.
Cool...all things are beautiful......from the perspective of art....thanks! :)
I will never see a training shoe, in the same light. The photos were awe inspiring, great hub
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Hello Pete,
Thank you very much for your kind and inspiring comment.
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Hi Tom,
Thank you very much for dropping by and leaving a comment.
You are very kind.
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Hi Brenda,
I am happy that you will now look at a training shoe and maybe other things too in a different way.
Thank you for your inspiring comment.
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I have added more photos to this hub. Check them out please.
Beautiful photographs. I think the bubbles are my favorite...or maybe the shoe. (-:
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Hi KatieE39,
Thank you very much. I'm happy you like them.
I like the bubbles, too. Thanks for sharing this. I shall look more carefully at a lot of ordinary things now.
nice hub, very informative...oops just realised I have already commented sorry
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Hi Red Elf,
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment. You know what, I never gave a second look to ordinary things until I started photography. It's always exhilirating to discover something new about them.
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Hi Brenda,
I don't mind you dropping by again. Nothing to be sorry about. I actually appreciate it.
Thank you very much!
Hi Jill! Love this Hub! What type of camera are you using? I am ready to upgrade my digital "happy snappy" and am shopping around. I love zooming in on things to see the intricacies of things! Looking forward to reading more of your pages!
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Hi Catlyn,
Thank you for dropping by and leaving an inspiring comment.
For these photos, I used my Canon 350D with 50mm macro lens. If you like zooming in on things (like I do), either you get a macro lens or some magnifying filters. My husband however gave me a Canon 50D recently, so I gave my 350D to my son but I'm keeping my macro lens.
Do you also have pictures in your hubs? I'll check them out after I post this.
All the best!
Hi jill, it's so cute! I love all of the photos you posted above. Now you are making want to grab my camera and do some picture taking too. LOL Thumbs up!
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Hi ripplemaker,
Thank you very much!
Yes, why not grab your camera? It's fun!
It's all about the way we see things isn't it? That is so true about so many aspects of life. Thanks for the ideas.
Scott.
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Hello puppascott,
It's nice of you to visit. Thank you.
Yes, you are right. It's really how we see things not only in photography but also in other aspects of life.
HI, You have inspired me to start a photo hub. I love your photographs, they have made me rethink some of the items I have in my house that might look different with a closer view. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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That's great Tesa! I'm happy that I have inspired you to start a photo hub. That will surely be most welcome here. Yes, moving closer or changing angles can give us new insight about things.
Thank you too and good luck! Tell me when you have your photo hub.
All the best!
Beautiful! I too love finding beauty in the mundane and perhaps a little unusual
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Hi mrslisae,
That's great! I'm happy we share this thing about mundane things.
Thank you for dropping by.
jill - you have a wonderful eye and your photos are beautiful! It's no surprise that you won that contest. Please post more. I know you don't get such hot ratings on hubs if you post "just a photo" hub but in your case, IMHO, it would be worth it :)
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Hello Madame X,
Your words are music to my ears! You are very kind and inspiring. Thank you very much.
I promise to post more as soon as we recover from the effects of the typhoon and flooding that recently inundated our country. Please see post in forum, hubbers hangout.
Right now I am just taking a break from cleaning. Besides, our internet connection has been unstable so I can only manage short notes at a time.
God bless and thank you very much once again!
Lovely, lovely pictures--I especially like the one on the gift-paper/bubbles. Your take on a new perspective with pictures brings out a pertinent point--we all need to look at life from different angles and find beauty in the most mundance of things. Like how I have to wash dishes right about now and how if I focus on the beauty of the soap suds instead of the dried up left-overs on the plates, then maybe, even dish-washing can be an adventure. Or maybe not?
Thanks for sharing.
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Hello anglnwu,
If we change our focus or our point of view on certain things then we indeed will see the beauty in them.
Thank you for visiting and leaving a beautiful comment.
Have a wonderful year ahead!
Thanks for sharing these lovely pix. I think we often in the rush of daily life forget to look at the things around us and appreciate their unexpected beauty. Thanks for the reminder of this.
Love and peace
Tony
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Hi tonymac,
It's great to see you again! Thank you for your inspiring comment.
I do not think I will ever take a picture the same way again! And not that I am a bad picture taker but I really did need a few good tips and thanks to you , you just supplied me with some! I cant wait to let you know how it goes:)))
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Hi wavegirl - your comment brought a smile to my face! I am very happy if this hub makes you look at things in another way. Sometimes all we need is a little change in our point of view.
Please tell me when you have some new pictures. I am eager to see them!
Thank you very much for dropping by.
I really enjoyed your hub! It's great to see some photography that is clearly original. Your images show a lot of creativity and insight.
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Hi Betty,
Thank you very much for your kind words. You just made my day!
Hope to see you around again!
God bless!
your artistic talent is amazing. Thanks for sharing your perspective on 'mundane things'...you make them so NOT mundane and highly enjoyable. wonderful work!
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Hello yellowstar,
It's so nice to see you again!
You are making me blush with your kind words. You just made my day!
I am happy if I was able to make you look at mundane things differently.
Thanks again for dropping by and leaving a wonderful comment!
God bless!
Wow...I enjoyed this hub, for sure...I'll be looking at things a lot closer, for sure! It looks as though a lot of others have enjoyed this hub too...great hub...still...:)) I think I'll have to come back for more...I 'followed' your photography blog, I like that too! :)) So definitely voted up...and useful!
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Hi Sandy,
It's nice to see you!
Thanks very much for the visit and wonderful comment! Thanks too for voting this up and useful.
You are most welcome to check out my other hubs on photography.
See you around!
God bless!
Thanks for the tips, ideas and advice. Great hub!
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Hello Becky,
Your visit and comment make me happy! Thank you very much!
You are most welcome. I'm happy if I can somehow help you discover more the wonders of photography.
God bless!
These are definitely great hints!
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Hello IdeaMorphist,
I'm happy that you think so.
Thanks very much for dropping by.
God bless!
Cool! Voted "up"!
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Hello FCEtier,
Nice to see you again!
Thank you very much! You are cool too!
God bless!
Those were great pictures! I love using my digital camera. I will visit some of your blogs.
Best wishes,
Debbie aka DJ Lyons
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Hi Debbie,
Thanks very much! That makes two of us who love using our digital cameras.
I saw you comment in my blog. That you very much! It's really nice of you to visit.
God bless!
In present-day hectic lives, people tend to overlook beauty in mundane things. Thanks for sharing your discovery.
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Hi Pinky,
You are most welcome. The pleasure is really mine. I love sharing what I discover during my photography adventures.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a wonderful comment!
God bless!
I love macro photography myself. I have a ring flash and an external flash that I use along some paper sheets to make a mini studio with an endless backdrop and all! It´s always fun to get lost in the details of something really ordinary.
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Hello The Monk,
It's great to meet another macro lover! I really love macro photography because you can take and create photos that are sometimes out of this world! Wow, you got a complete gear there! I hope to see some of your work after I post this.
Thanks for dropping by!
God bless!
great post. love the iidea of finding beauty and art in the mundane. best. www.picture-speak.com
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Hello ShonEjai,
Thank you very much for your visit and heartwarming comment! I really appreciate it!
God bless!
Wow...!
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Hello livingsta,
That's a powerful single word! Thank you very much!!!
God bless!
more photos of mundane things
- A Photo A Day
a photo blog
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