Seeing with a Different Perspective

A couple of weeks ago, I spent an afternoon downtown with Olaf Sztaba, a friend and local professional photographer. Olaf is a master at creating beautiful images. His photographs often use bold light and shadow that often cause the viewer to question what they are looking at. His perspective is truly unique. I wanted to observe Olaf at work so that I could try and learn how he sees. As we set off, he told me to “look for the light.” And so we did.

X100F+, ƒ / 10, ¹⁄₁₂₅ sec, ISO 640

It was a beautiful fall day when we met. The light was strong and directional, casting powerful shadows. Olaf was like a kid in a candy shop! He showed me how to use the light. To go to corners where it played and observe how it reflected off and through objects. He showed me how to turn what most would not have seen into thought-provoking images that cause viewers to pause and question what they are seeing.

What Others Don’t See

I had set a restriction for the day. I wanted to capture abstract images with geometric elements, and that did not include people. Capturing images without people, on a day with incredible light, was going to be a challenge for me! But as I watched Olaf, I began to see what he was seeing. I started to look for unusual perspectives of otherwise ordinary scenes.

This type of photography may not be to everyone’s taste. However, with my background in structural engineering, I am drawn to bold, architectural elements. And, as I have said on this blog before, I photograph things that interest me. I try very hard not to be swayed by social media.

Here are the images I created that afternoon. Thank you again, Olaf, for the inspiration! I’ve included a few street shots from the day as well. It was just too tempting not to make a few people photos!

Thanks for reading. Feel free to send me a note; I would love to know what you think about perspective. Cheers until next time!