Abstract ideas are difficult to talk about and to portray in an image. But if you can find the right image, abstraction can come to life.
Susan says, “I know that Lucia loves to go to the tulip farms in the spring time when the flowers are blooming in fields that stretch to the horizon. Here is a photo she took when she discovered a yellow tulip that had popped up in a mass of red brethren. I am sure that you have already thought of ways this photo might be used to illustrate a principle, a maxim or a truth. The power of seeing an idea represented in the real world, or in a field of tulips, is immeasurably strong. Think now about the less obvious ideas, too. For example, why do anomalies occur, dealing with human error, the magic of mistakes.”
Lucia says, “When it comes to photographing colors, you’d be hard press to find a better place than a field of tulips. The varieties are unfathomable. Here the splash of yellow amid a sea of red brings up many thoughts. We could go for the obvious: ‘stand up for yourself’, ‘march to your own drumbeat, or ‘be yourself’. Now, look more closely at this photo. Notice the red tulips are past their prime, while the yellow one is new and has yet to opened up. To me, the yellow tulip represents an enthusiastic person with a new idea in the midst of old warn-out, traditional, ‘this is the way we’ve always done it’ attitudes. What do you see?”
This photo really packs a wallop because it is so simple, so obvious, so bold. It focuses attention on itself without any effort and is a strong taking-off point for discussion. How would you use it in your presentation?
