Photo tips: using back light

I shot this sculpture, The Drop, by
Inges Idee, at the Vancouver Convention
Centre. At first, I want to get it all in.
Then I want to explore it with the
wide angle lens, getting up very close
and making it loom. And instead of using
the frontal mid day light, I went on the
shadow side and shot it from there.
It's now about the shape and the strong
back light shows shape very well.

Composition and light

Timing is everything. I happened to be in
a place which I'd thought about when the light was
terrific. I made a dozen shots trying to find a
perfect arrangement of people in front of
the building. It helps to get out and see a place
at different times so you can predict when it
will look its most dramatic because of the light.
The Georgia Straight liked it too and published it.

Photo tip: lines and shapes

I was attracted by the lines formed by
the buildings and the triangular shapes
in this composition. I was shooting
with a short telephoto lens. Notice
how that brings the buildings close together.
With a long lens we get to see in a way that
our eyes cannot. I also like the textures of
the different buildings in Gastown, Vancouver.