Sometimes what you see isn’t what you see

Three-banded plover - natural surroundings

The statement holds true for everyone, but more so for the photographer. I took this picture because I don’t have an image of a Three-banded plover. So, it’s a record shot – not intended for this site. Not a rare bird, it caught my attention as it hunted along the edge of a stream and I watched it for a while – taking shots every now and then.

Once back home, I took a look at this picture on my large screen. Nice bird, lousy, noisy background. I was going to trash the image but my photographic mentor, Martin Barber changed my mind, showing me how to use a gradient to completely change the background.

Three-banded plover - modified surroundings

And this is what the final image looks like.

They tell you, while photographing, view your subject from as many angles as possible. Squat, lie down, climb up, move left, move right. Each positional change alters the perspective, so take a shot every time you move places. Very often, the keeper is not the image you originally saw.

Come to think of it, so much of life looks different from another angle or following a tweak. There’ve been countless times when something in my life has turned out remarkably different from what I’d imagined. Over and over, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by an event, situation or occurrence that wasn’t what I pictured in the first place.

Next time you’re faced with a situation, an obstacle or a hinderance, take a breath and another look. See if it works for you.