What do you see here? Pigeons on a ledge or something more.
Susan says, “Pigeons! I would guess that many people find them an unattractive element of the urban landscape. But occasionally they do unexpected and interesting things. Here they have lined up in orderly fashion on a ledge to create a staccato rhythm that complements the architecture. They even have an over lord above them keeping them in line and an outlier who isn’t going along with the plan below. Maybe. There are so many possible uses for this photograph in a presentation. Humor is certainly one. As is a discussion about the relationship between the common and the artful. What I appreciate most is that is that Lucia had the wisdom to look up, recognized that she had happened upon something intriguing and took the photo. Look up. Look up. Don’t settle for what is just in front of your nose.”
Lucia says, “Yes, I did look up and I laughed. Everything Susan said went through my mind when I saw this scene. Making the photo presented several challenges though. I was delighted by how the birds complemented the building. Yet including enough of the building in the frame to see the architecture, and being close enough to focus on the pigeons took some maneuvering. The sole pigeon above the crowd made me stop and wonder what it was doing up there all alone. I felt that lone bird added intrigue to the scene, so I wanted to make sure it was in the frame also. You see my dilemma? Too far, the details of the birds would be lost. Too close, would lose the whole effect. Add to that the need to act quickly, since birds are unpredictable and could have taken off in a second. Oh, the joys and the rewards of meeting a challenge!”
