I had the chance to attend the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. It was filled with amazing technology and cars that I can’t dream of owning. But of course it provided an opportunity to bring the camera and take some pictures. It’s not the greatest venue to take pictures especially with hundreds/thousands of other people also enjoying the cars with you. Not only are people in the way, there are nice barricades around all the expensive cars so you can’t get near them. The lighting is different from car to car. So, as a person wanting great pictures, you have to take a second and figure out how you would like to take the shot. I did a lot of goofing off, so most of these are me experimenting. I tried to think of angles that aren’t usually taken. But when it comes to cars, people have taken every angle! I just brought one lens, so that also limited me to what I could do.

The good thing in a tough place like this is, you are still in control of what you want to show the viewer. There are still different things you can do to emphasize what you want to show. If you are stuck in one spot, like I was many a times trying to look at a car. You can try different levels of view. Bend down and take a few snaps. Zoom in toward a certain feature of the car. Shoot wide open(low f number) to give more bokeh(blur in the background).

The main thing at something like this is…have fun! Don’t get upset if the shot is not up to your liking. Go try taking pictures of another car. If you end up liking your picture, try something different at the next car. And remember, be true to yourself. If you like a picture and you show it to your friend standing by you and they don’t like it…tough luck, they are missing out on the beauty you’ve captured..in the end, what is a picture. Is it all but an image that reminds you of the emotion you felt at a certain time? It may speak to you, and to no one else….(the exception is when you have to take pictures for someone else. you want to take images that will speak to them, and have meaning to them.)

Here are a few of the shots I took. Not only did I experiment with the angles and stuff, I experimented heavily with the different effects in post processing.

Inspiration:
Like in photography, there are times in life when I feel like I can’t get that perfect “shot”. I feel like someone is blocking my progress. Like there are immovable objects that are in the way which are hindering my view of my goals and desires. Like the lighting is too dark in which I can’t see where to place my next step…how am I supposed to deal with this in life situations? How do I change my angle so I can see the goodness in a situation? How do I zoom into what is truly important for me? How do I blur out the distractions that depress me? How do I free myself from the anxiety built up inside?…by realizing who I was called to be and who my trust is in. The burdens of life don’t become lighter…don’t get me wrong. It’s just that, if you choose, there’s Someone that will help you carry them…

“You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.
‘Cause this is not about what you’ve done,
But what’s been done for you.
This is not about where you’ve been,
But where your brokenness brings you to
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.” – TENTH AVENUE NORTH – YOU ARE MORE