To me, details matter; the small things are everything; the little things make a big difference and so on… Paying attention to the details is my business mantra, so to be part of a team bringing together beautiful imagery on this very theme, is a real privilege and joy.
So what’s in the details for me and why are they so important?
To some, details can simply be the smaller part of a bigger shot where we focus on (or crop into) a relatively small portion of the scene. But there’s way more to it than that, right?! Detail shots can also be images that, using compositional flair, draw attention to something that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Many of us use techniques such as texture, selective focus, reflections, framing and of course light, to draw attention to part of the subject or scene that the viewer might often LOOK at but not really SEE! And to me, it’s creative decisions like these that really stand photographers apart and why we’re able to exist so well alongside each other - because each of us sees the every day oddities, clever juxtapositions and other small details in a slightly different way, regardless of how simple they might be.
Details can stand-alone in one image or form part of a coherent body of work. Either way, details are a visual narrative - we capture them to give depth to a story, infuse a feeling and to ultimately summon a mic drop emotion. Boom!
My favourite details?
I tend to get drawn into any photo with an ode to detail and to be asked what my favourite details are is an almost impossible task. Help! That said I can tell you which ones attract me without dithering on rank order:
I thrive on everyday moments. Unique rituals and family quirks which change from month to month and year to year; the extraordinary goodness that others might cast off as boring or ordinary; and those ‘remember whens’ we’ll talk about in our future. We all have them.
Next up, I’m always on the scrounge for reflective detail too. Mirrors, lakes, shiny surfaces, puddles, raindrops, windows and glasses (even the wine variety). The angles fascinate me, as does the symmetry, artistry and pattern. I tell myself off for over-expressing my details in this way – then I tell myself it doesn’t matter. It’s just my way!
Finally, I’ll end with an admission to the obsession I have with hands. I’m not alone on this I know, but have you ever asked yourself why you’re drawn to them? Not only is each one unique but we use them so intrinsically. We talk with our hands; we touch; we hold; we write and we take photos. So to do we laugh, gasp, pray and whisper into them. And we use them to express ourselves and show affection to one another. They’re a source of infinite stories.
At this point it’d be totally off character not to mention the insane perfection of newborn hands. But it’s best to not get me started on those … Gah!
So detail is my friend – a bezzie friend. They might mean something slightly different to you and through ‘This Detailed Life’ I’m super excited to see and hear more about you and yours.
You can find Catherine here:
Website: www.catherineeast.co.uk
Instagram: @catherineeastphoto
Facebook: @catherineeastphoto
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