Perspectives on Perspective

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." I've been thinking about how I, as a photographer, can shape perception, through how I choose to frame my photograph, and what I choose to include, or exclude. Another phrase which also captures the photographer's dilemma, is "is the glass half-full, or half-empty?"

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about. It's a rather random collection of scenes, but they all show the importance of perspective.

First, I'll start with an appropriately-named sculpture installed on Dallas Road near where I live, and a poem that goes along with it.

Glass Half Full, Dallas Road. Sculpture by Tyler Hodgins. It's also a play structure for children who can spin on the two discs.The poem which accompanies it is below.

Here is the text of Glass Half Full, by Linda Rodgers, who was Victoria's Poet Laureate in 2011, when the sculpture was installed. The text is written on a round plaque set in the ground in a spiral pattern.

This

is where spinning children find out

we are one drop of water in

sky becoming ocean, or earth, what

ever catches the I, eye, first

as we go round in the half-full

glass that never empties or fills,

in the song that never ends.

"The half-full glass that never empties or fills". That definitely sounds like perspective to me!

The photographer influences the viewer's reaction by how close the subject is, what is included in the frame, and how much is in focus.

Fritillaria in Beacon Hill Park in April. My phone camera is not very good at including both foreground and background with the same amount of crispness, but in this case, it did an adequate job.

A cheerful harvest scarecrow outside a seniors' residence. In this case, the scarecrow is the interest. The photo would have been less interesting if I'd zoomed out, and included some of the nearby building.

There's another scarecrow in the Murchie's window display, below.

I enjoyed the imaginative combining of squash, teapots, and haybales, all in autumn shades, in this window. In this case, the scarecrow is secondary to the display.

Readers will know I appreciate well-designed window displays. Here are a couple more that have caught my eye recently. It strikes me that the window artist has to have the theme of "perspective" front and centre when they create their design. After all, they want a window that is memorable, captures the flavour of the store, and is inviting to the passer-by.

Window of Lugaro Jewellers

Window design by Spirit Coast Creations

This window display was earlier in the summer, but I couldn't resist giving a nod to this local James Bay floral store, which always does imaginative, and appealing, window design.

Two more windows before I move on...

Window from South Park School earlier this year. I liked the metaphorical "upstream", and how the fish were located on the window.

Island Health went above and beyond at the James Bay Urgent Care centre. A kingfisher appliqued on the window is a lovely touch, showing that even when we're in need of medical care, art cannot be neglected.

Since we're talking Island Health.... here's the interior of the James Bay Urgent Care centre waiting room. The choice of colours and design contribute to a sense of calm.

As I mentioned at the outset, this post is a collage of ideas and images illustrating the theme of "perspective". 

The next two photos show one of the trees at Capital Park, now, and five years ago. Readers know I'm interested in trees, and what they add to the urban environment. The plaza on the north side of Capital Park is a large, open space with a lot of hard surface. The trees that were planted five years ago have contributed immeasurably to a softer ambience.

Part of the plaza at Capital Park development. Notice how the trunk completely fills the metal ring at its base. Then check out the next photo.

A few years ago I took a photo of the same tree looking the other direction. Capital Park was still being built, and the tree was newly planted.

The same tree, a little over five years ago, on July 20, 2020. This is a fast-growing tree! There was a lot of space around the plate at the trunk's base at that time, compared with the photo five years later. 

Sticking with nature, but moving on to colour:

I enjoyed the dusty rose of the Hydrangea, contrasted with the gold of its leaves. 

When I saw the Hydrangea, I made the decision to take the photo zooming in on the colour, rather than showing the whole shrub. The photo which follows has a different perspective.

Here's the larger scene of the hydrangea with the shrub and its golden leaves. Much less impact, in my opinion, than zooming in as with the previous photo.

Flowers are an amazing example of the difference made by perspective. 

The artistry of nature is on display in the Dahlia.

I couldn't resist a few more Dahlias. I'm in awe of their symmetry:

Amazing symmetry of nature

Dahlias add late colour to the falls in Victoria. I was intrigued by the colours and petal shape of this variety.

My final Dahlia of this post... such a gorgeous pink!

Hollyhocks were common in my childhood, but it's rare to see them now. I enjoyed its delicate flower.  (Note that all the photos in my posts are taken with my phone's camera.)

This striking, non-native plant was growing in Beacon Hill Park earlier this fall. Google says it's called "Fatsia Japonica". 

Gunnera, another non-native plant in Beacon Hill Park. The leaves on this plant are huge!

If I'm talking about non-native plants in the park, I have to include the Monkey Puzzle tree.

I touched these; they are as spiny and pokey as they look!

In a post on perspective with many examples of non-native plants, it would be unfair to native plants not to include them. After all, "perspective" in landscaping should include plants that are adapted to the landscape and climate. They are as beautiful as non-native species! Beauty is on the eye of the beholder, after all.

Here are images of two native plants I have found being used locally:

Canada Goldenrod near the end of its blooming season, with a young Garry oak in the background, on the west side of the Johnson St bridge. The choice of blue for the chairs in the far background is a pleasant complement to the yellow of the flowers.

Fireweed growing in front of an apartment building on Michigan Street. I am always pleased when I see that a choice has been made to include some native plants in landscaping.

Now, to switch gears and move from plants, to the built environment:
Within a week of walking James Bay and downtown, I saw three pieces of artwork with similar resonance. I was intrigued at how each reflected how the artist saw, and interpreted, the urban scene:

Children's play area at my dentist's office

Mural, central branch of Victoria Public Library

Window at Munro's Books

From collages of buildings, to one single building: it's impossible to walk downtown and not notice the Telus Ocean building under construction.

The Telus Ocean Building taking shape. The unusual windows are the first thing a passer-by notices.

Since I'm talking about perspective in this post, I'll include one more photo of the Telus building.

This image shows the way the building is using the triangular shaped lot, and reflecting that shape in its design features.

The reference to the triangular shaped lot reminds me of a post I did on that theme a few years ago. You can find it at https://linesfromthecoast.blogspot.com/2022/01/eternal-triangles.html

Over the years I've also featured a few different high rises whose architecture I appreciated. Here's another high rise I noticed on a recent walk downtown.

The Mazda building is at the corner of Blanshard and Johnson. I like the way the hard structure is broken by the glass in the corner. And of course, I'm always a fan of trees, even in concrete planters. When it was built in 1990 this building was considered an example of a sustainable green building, in terms of water and energy efficiency. 

I will conclude this post on random thoughts about perspective with a brief nod to two hidden pieces of art that can only be noticed by walkers who amble "off the beaten path". 

Mural at the back of the building where the New Horizons Seniors Centre is located. It is only visible to users of Irving Park.

The mural above features a lovely swirling Giant Sequoia (detail below), as well as Garry oak acorns and leaves, a camas meadow, the Olympics, the Ogden Point Lighthouse and a blue heron...and five five-pointed stars. I have to think that the woman is artist Emily Carr who lived in James Bay for much of her life, but I am not sure what the intention was with the five stars. 

Detail of Garry Oak leaf and acorn, from the above mural.

And here's the swirling giant Sequoia in the mural

The second example is more artwork that is easy to miss. The mosaic tile work below is on a bench off a trail at Banfield Park, built ten years ago by the Vic West Food Security Collective. 

Detail, back of bench at Banfield Park. The text reads "Sustenance for All".

A wider view of the back of the bench at Banfield Park. See https://vicwestfoodsecurity.org/community-gardens/banfield-common/

"Sustenance for all" is a hopeful perspective on which to finish this post!

The Power of Light

As the northern hemisphere heads towards the fall equinox, and as Victoria moves towards winter's greyer skies, I've been thinking about light, and all the various ways that light moves and shapes us. In this post I'm looking at light, from a few "random" perspectiives. 

When the Light is Right

Photographers depend on the right light, and I've known those that have waited for hours for the light to be "just right". I am more a photographer of opportunity, so the images in this post are those that I happened upon in a magical moment when the light was favorable.

And sometimes, light does create a magical moment or two. Here are a few images...

Light in the southeast over the Strait of Juan de Fuca as the sun sets early on a winter afternoon

Sunrise over Juan de Fuca Strait

January sunset from our apartment, with the sun setting far to the south!

Although cruise ships are not for me, and the cruise ship industry is blamed for a host of environmental ills, they do have a way of creating an illusory world, as the photo below shows.

Cruise ship at Ogden Point

Mood and Light

Light cheers us up; how often have we noticed this in our own spaces, that there is a buoyancy to a room with light? I noticed this recently, after a day when I was feeling down about a host of planetary challenges. I went for an evening walk, and was greeted with the scene in the photo below.

The setting sun created these long shadows with their interesting patterns, with the partial rainbow in the distance. After a day of feeling gloomy, I felt the message of the rainbow.

It's not often that I post images of high rises, but with the theme of light and mood, the next two images speaks to me of airiness.

This downtown Victoria office building seems to be all about sky and light. 

Upper Harbour Place in Vic West. The elegant turquoise hues of the glass capture light and sky.

Illuminating the Details

Artists need light to produce their work, and we need the light to appreciate their efforts, and the detail that went into producing it.. 

Late afternoon light illuminates stonework details of the BC Legislature. I enjoyed the way the bare branches of the tree were reflected in the building's window glass.

Light can reveal details -- details that we might otherwise miss.

The long rays of the sun illuminated several details of this building's features -- the bay windows on each floor, the metal rails of the balconies, and the rhythmic pattern of the fire escape ladders. 

These doors on the Legislature are normally unobtrusive, but the setting sun illuminated them indirectly, as well as the attractive terra cotta colours of the tile.

Light helps this business stand out, with its extensive glass exterior, and the attractive tone of blue complementing the well chosen orange tables and chairs.

Light transforms the ordinary into memorable.

Light catching the flowers of a spurge plant, and showing the detail of each flower. Some spurges are invasive; I believe this one is Myrtle Spurge which seems to be very hardy, possibly to the point of an invasive plant. I've seen it growing out of the sidewalk, in the tiny crack between a power pole and the sidewalk concrete. 

The light illuminating the figure's face, and the colourful hanging paper balloons, helps make this image interesting.

Nature and Light

We depend on the sun, and light, for our survival, and the survival of all flora and fauna.

A natural area in the interior of BC

A xeriscaped Victoria garden along south-facing Dallas Road

Arbutus tree, Victoria

When water and light are abundant, nature thrives.

A snippet of rich and verdant growth in Beacon Hill Park

Light illuminates the seedheads of these landscape onion plants

Photography and Light

And light is essential for the photographer, who depends on it to "highlight" and shape what we photograph. This point becomes vivid when a photograph is viewed in black and white and shades of grey. 

Here is the arbutus tree shown earlier in colour, now in black and white.

Black and white version of the arbutus tree shown earlier. 

Sometimes because colour can by so "eye-popping", we don't know about light levels and contrast within a photograph until it's been converted to black and white.

Here is one more earlier photo, converted to black and white:

Colour photography allows the photographer to be less demanding of light in the image. The colours of the balloon fade into the background when the image is seen in its black and white version.

Light illuminating fungi growing on a dead log.

Black and white version of the above photo, showing the levels of contrast in light.

Playing with Light

Residents of northern countries with long winters know what it's like to miss the light. Since I've lived in James Bay there's been a "Window Wanderland" project each winter, celebrating the light that we create within our own homes, and shining images onto the streets for our neighbours.

This is a window from the February James Bay "Window Wanderland". Residents were invited to decorate their windows, which they then illuminated from behind with the light of a room. Maps of all who had registered were available from the Community School, and over two nights, residents could "wander" the streets, enjoy the dark night, and the warmth of lit up windows.

Another Window Wanderland window.

And one more window from Window Wanderland.

Exploring and playing with all the aspects of light has reminded me of the Robert Louis Stevenson poem "My Shadow", which I enjoyed both as a child, and as a parent.

My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;

I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Your blogger's shadow

Using Light for Energy

I will finish my brief tour of light with a stop at the role of the sun's light for energy: solar power.

It's hard to capture images of many solar installations, since they are mostly above the view of my lens. For example, the Capital Park development, which I've featured in this blog before, has 251 solar panels on the rooftops of two office buildings, but most of them are barely visible.

But here's one solar installation I was able to capture:

House on Moss Street in Fairfield

New buildings in Victoria often have solar arrays on their roofs; let's have more at the level of the individual home! One website I consulted suggests Victoria has 2,200 hours of sun on average in a year.

Average monthly sunhours in Victoria. Source: https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-hours-Sunshine,victoria,Canada

Opening and Closing the Day

Greeting the light in the morning, and saying farewell at night: two of the most common images in photographs. Here is a recent shot from a morning walk.

Sunrise, Juan de Fuca Strait

 And I will finish this tribute to light with a photo of the setting sun from a few months ago.

A zoom in on the setting sun, with a halo of light.