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Apogee Photo Magazine

The Little Things in Photography

by Noella Ballenger

Learn how to find the small things that make your photographs stand out.

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As photographers, we frequently lust after the ultimate scenic vista or that finite moment when sky and horizon melt together in a fantastic sunrise or sunset.  Sometimes, our images do justice to such magnificent, exciting works of nature.   But there’s another side of photography--the simple, subtle side.  Some of the most memorable images I’ve seen capture small wonders.  A sparkle in an eye, the stab of a single ray of light, the velvety softness of a petal aren’t grand gestures, but when I look at images, it is often the “little thing” that delights my eye.

Recently, a photographer/friend joined me for a quick trip to Echo Park in Los Angeles.  Each year in late May or early June, Echo Park offers a beautiful display of lotus blossoms, the largest group of lotus plants outside Japan.  This year our timing was a little off.  Many of the blossoms had already dropped their petals, so we were soon preparing to leave when my friend spotted a mother mallard duck and her babies.  It was a hot day, and Mother Duck stood up and spread her tail for the babies to gather under her feet in the shade.  My friend and I carefully crept close, doing our best not to disturb her.  She knew we were there, but since we were quiet and didn’t move, she stayed calm.

Protecting her young from the strong, hot sun by casting as large a shadow as she could was only a simple little gesture of love and protection on the mother’s part.  The moment didn’t last long, because the babies were active and soon slipped onto the water. Once they were all swimming, the mother got in, as well, and led her brood away.  Her service was simple, but how necessary for the little ones.

Later that evening, I began to wonder about the “little things” that catch my eye.  Do they make the difference in a photograph?  Are they the illusive factor that elevates a photograph to more than just an image on paper?  I began to comb through my files of images, and I found more than I bargained for. I’ve included some of my discoveries here.   I suggest that you go through your body of work.   Consider this a self-assignment:  Find the “little things” that make your photograph outstanding, and since I’m big on making notes, write a short sentence or two describing what your subject is and why it works.

Here’s the image that started my search: 

	Even though these lotus are "a little past their prime" they are still graceful and delicate.

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Noella Ballenger leads photographic workshop/tours to special locations in the West. Visit her site in Apogee Photo Magazine at www.noellaballenger.com or send her an e-mail at Noella1B@aol.com   Write to her at P.O. Box 457, La Canada, CA 91012, call: (818) 954-0933 or fax: (818) 954-0910 for more information on her workshop/tours.