This weekend, Dennis charged us the task of photographing people on a very grey and very rainy day. Thus, braving the elements with my Canon, I began to chase after umbrellas. Initially, like a moth to flame, I was attracted to colorful umbrellas with vibrant hues and distracting patterns. But then I realized, as appealing an umbrella may seem, the real subject is hidden beneath, shielding themselves from the elements. It's easy to become transfixed on the bright umbrellas, but that's not really seeing.
We assume things about umbrellas. We focus on how they are different, and I think we then begin to classify everyone holding an umbrella into a single category--those weathering the elements. But, when we begin to slow down and re-examine the subject matter, as we begin to stare as the Czechs do, and actually look with the camera, umbrellas and their patrons become more complex.
