Light and Shadow
good photography buddies who can teach us a lot about life...

Three most important buddies for crafting photographic imagery that makes us stop and look longer than two seconds... :
 Light-Shadow Light-Shadow Light-Shadow

Posing, props, subject matter, a dramatic moment captured... all can be captivating by their own;
still, even when using the camera for quick snapshot recording of daily events and activities, paying attention to light and shadow can make the difference between a  one-of-a-million seen and forgotten pics and a  one-in-a-thousand image that lingers -

PH869a shadow in hot air balloon 3 -21,5x13,5 -sept09-7042shadows preparing a hot air balloon
 

Making either one or the other photograph is not a question of right or wrong photography, but is a question of conscious choice and use of one's camera; even more so of using one's mind -
a question of whether or not intention and deliberation is involved in the process of photographing -

Often, of course, we have neither choice nor influence on the light-shadow situation in a scene, such as when we cannot move our location or change the surrounding light as it is; even this we can be aware or unaware of, however -

Often, too, though, we do have options to even just slightly adjust our camera location, turn the subject, wait for natural change of ambient light, or alter the appearance of light and shadow in a scene by use of lighting equipment and modifiers, be it of the manufactured kind or the spontaneous and creative makeshift kind -

PH ppl flute busker sfx zf-4228classical flute busker

Fortunately, in making a photograph, lack of intention and awareness carries less potential for harm, for example, than when operating a table-saw in a 'quick-auto-half-attention-snapshot-mode'  -
This ought not, however, lead to sloppy use of the tools; I would say, on the contrary, using our photography equipment has the potential for becoming a practice for walking this world in a more mindful manner, paying attention to detail, training not only our
eyes and vision for creative imagery, but also the mind to live in and fully perceive the present as it is -

Considering our art in this light... it becomes a way of life
 

peter vernon quenter

Vancouver July 2015