Features

So I was looking through my old notes, trying to find something about how artistic inspiration becomes scarce when you look for it, and how different folks handle that situation.  I found some stuff from way back in the first few quarters, and I can’t cite if it was Harkins, or Finch, an ACP lecture or study abroad, but it was probably a combination of all our instructors (I keep a haphazard journal). 

Poetically, it comes out as the parable of the butterfly catcher and the fisherman.  Long story short, the butterfly catcher tends to move around a lot hoping to snag a perfect specimen because they are known to inhabit the location.  The fisherman takes a seat and observes the scene, perhaps focusing on shapes and how they change over time, and putting that composition in the view finder.  Features usually need people, and that sounds like fishing   

The heck of it is, sometimes you catch a great one quickly with hardly trying, and it seems so easy.  At least I have heard that happens.  I can’t say that has been my experience: I feel like I have wasted a lot of time chasing butterflies.  I tried some fishing in Europe and that wasn’t especially productive either but it was more satisfying.  These pictures were taken with a remote and tripod as I hid behind the corner of a pastry shop window in Venice around 9 AM.  They would be closer to a feature style if that lady wasn’t so well hidden among the shelves of sweets.                             

Dang it.