Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Look Up//Look Down #15: In the Open Space

A few blocks  from our house is a large area of open space which connects with Montara Mountain.   The dogs love it when I take them  up there for a walk. I can let them off leash, and they can run a bit.  For this week's look up//look down photo meme, created by Helena, I'm featuring photographs from a recent walk there.  Looking up into the eucalyptus trees and looking down the trail to see Aria running back towards me. 
This pairing got me thinking about the orientation of my local geography.  Most of the coast feels very horizontal because of the dominance of the ocean and shore line.  In contrast, Montara Mountain  and these photographs are all about vertical. This is a concept I have never really thought about before, but one which I think has the potential to improve my photography. Does this idea make sense to you? Have you ever thought about the orientation of your locale? Is it more horizontal or more vertical? 

18 comments:

Amy said...

I find I struggle with adequately capturing the vertical perspective. In relation to your photos today, it fascinates me when people from another country describe or photograph eucalypts ... being a native here I forget that they suit other similar environments! Great pairing Rinda. :)

Anonymous said...

They are both beautiful photographs but I adore the one showing the beautiful scenery close to where you live.

helena said...

I always find it hard to turn my camera portrait when at the beach because the breadth of the horizon draws me - but when I do I get some great shots with a different feel

love your pair - a real feel of openness

Sian said...

There are so many pointy roofs round here, and mountain peaks easy to see from the city, that we are always very aware of the vertical here. And yet I find it hard to turn my camera that way. A good point to think about!

Linda said...

We're pretty much horizontal here - the beach to the south and some small hills to the north. But I do turn my camera to portrait quite a bit. In fact, I am forcing myself to take more landscape photos this year so they fit in the Project Life pages:)

Yvonne said...

I especially love the picture of the "looking up" photo, Rinda!

Rhonda Halushka said...

Gorgeous location! The nice thing about your locale is that you could do a sweeping horitontal but also could focus in and do some lovely vertical pieces. Either way, can't beat the scenery!

alexa said...

Here's another fan of your pairing :). I've been trying to think what my criteria are for deciding on vertical/horizontal, but I think it depends on what I am trying to capture. Sometimes I'll take both, just to see!

Irene said...

The only vertical scenery around here would be the Downtown Skyscrapers. Everything else is flat for miles and miles.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

It's very vertical here in the foothills of the Appalachians. Elevation seems to factor into everything. "The house right after the road has that big dip." "The road is to the left when you get to the top of the hill of main road just over the river."

~*~Patty S said...

What a beautiful area you live in...I can still remember driving in CA and smelling the Eucalyptus trees ... so fresh and amazing ... I brought some pods home too

We recently tried a vertical panorama photo on a Bluebell walk in the woods...to our delight it almost captured the majesty of the tall tall tree ...species unknown ;)

Your dog looks happy and free!

oxo

scrappyjacky said...

I love the trees photo. It's pretty vertical here...a town built on the hills edged by cliffs.

laurie said...

such a refreshing viewpoint... I have lived in the rocky mountains most of my life, which is vertical. up, down. I can see how the coast would be the opposite.

I have been gone, off-line, for several weeks now with no excuse. I always love reading your blog so I'm glad to be back. :-)

Karen said...

This is one of my favorite pairings yet!

Miriam said...

I love the picture of your dog running free! Trees are my favourite thing to photograph but capturing the height I find challenging. You have done a brilliant job with your eucalyptus. I realise now that you have positioned yourself further away from the trunk than I would. I will try this today! thanks.

Missus Wookie said...

I'm a mountain girl so love the hills and dips around here while the family were commenting that other bits of London (down in the river valley) are flatter and better for biking.

Dogs do love running and exploring - your walk is very different to our urban woodland.

Sandie said...

It's lovely to see the scenery close to where you live. We are pretty horizontal here - although I do live on a hill and overlook the river winding which is one of my favourite local scenes.

Anonymous said...

Love the eucalyptus picture. It's very horizontal here what with the lake to the south and a very, very gradual rise to the edge of the old glacial lake. The only things vertical here are tall buildings and trees with a couple of creek ravines thrown in.