Shapes, Lines and Mood

When photographers are looking to compose, the forms need to jump off image, to give other viewers the effect they produced in them when they first saw them. It is mostly true for me too. Many forms do catch my eye when I am shooting; it’s not only light that I see. However, I feel that the forms I look for are semi intentional, depending on the mood I am in that day. I don’t look to create a mood in my viewer. It’s rather the opposite, my mood contributes to the final image.

My favorite forms are lines. I love it when they fill the whole image or even more when they criss cross. I look for shadows and reflections that give me this effect and I squeal with joy when the lines I shoot lead the eye towards some other object or simply create movement of the eye. These are my happy images and they are easy to spot. Because who doesn’t have happy moments?

On the other hand, when I look for symmetry, I can feel the balance both in my image and in my mood. Symmetry for me is extremely hard to see when I am out shooting – maybe because the reason why I go out shooting in the first place is to calm my soul? My soul is rarely balanced, thus the inability to find symmetry when I have my camera.

I do seem to find a lot of roundness. Circles and ovals pop out very easily. These create a sense of non stop movement which is a reflection of my life, my thoughts, and my soul at the moment. Also, strangely, most of my circles are organic, as if the movement in nature defines or completes my own movement.

People often ask me how I see the world that I photograph but I seem to think, lately, it is the world that sees me and my mood. The forms match my emotions; they find ME. Does that make any sense? Tell me what you think! I’d love to hear if you see and feel it that way too…

Maite