Introspective Lenses 4 Life

My life’s introspective moments occur while interacting with my world, as I define it, and by immersing myself in the realm of nature. It is herein that I discover symbolic teachings, analogies, and metaphors.

A photograph is to the eyes what words are to an experience.

Photography is a way for me to slow down as I become a spectator with eyes, mind, and heart open in appreciation and wonder. I find myself looking more carefully.

Quite often, upon reviewing photos, I see something within that first went unnoticed. My photos are shot without filters, only my various introspective lenses.

Perspective: Influences how things are seen.

This multi-functional lens is set to automatic by one’s upbringing, culture, experiences, traditions, and philosophies.

Perception: Questioning what is looked at to be seen.

Switching to this lens enables the ‘photographer’ to regulate the amount of light onto a subject by adjusting the aperture and shutter speed of one’s education and experience.

Interpretation: Seeking understanding to examine the inherent beauty within, gain insight, and receive inspirational knowledge.

The following sets of three are symbolic of my introspective lenses. You may experience differences within each set. One photo is colour (original), one is edited only to black & white, and one is edited to low saturation.
Each presents the same image with as a visual exercise in the art of seeing/perceiving.

I invite you to challenge yourself by choosing a set of three and contemplating the advantages of each technique.
Why did you choose the set you chose?
Do you notice anything in one photo that was not as apparent in another?
How does your perception of the subject change or does it remain the same?
What title would you give to a set or a particular photograph?
What influenced your choice of title?

Each photographic technique has much to offer me and is visually pleasing.

Viewing through my introspective lenses 4 life comprising black and white perspectives, shaded perceptions, and colourful palettes of appreciation, I will share with you a little of my introspective moments in the art of seeing.

Tempestuous Waves: Balancing choices, finding strength
Tracks to, through, and past the Train Bridge: Trust, move forward, traverse a chasm
Eye of the Tiger: observe, know yourself
Pre-dawn silhouettes: the natural course, be grateful for the lowlight times, there’s more to life than day and night or black and white, serenity
Prairie Power: more than one way, differences strengthen, commonalities, vastness
Snow-Sprinkled Evergreens: beauty is evident in all seasons of life, “A life touched by snow is gifted with a measure of purifying crystalized water droplets.”-me
Railroad Crossing: sometimes I just have to stop, be aware of my surroundings, exercise caution, heed internal warning signals
Lake Louise Landscape: consider the journey, appreciate the view, elevate my senses
Blossoms: gentleness, “If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.”- Buddha

© Vicki Nicholls 2025