A great photo does not have to be photographic excellence!

I just love this photo.  Here I am not being a photographer, but a journalist or a story teller.  It is important not to be inhibited by cameras and photography.  If it is your intent to become an excellent photographer then by all means do.  I have friends who are wonderful photographers and study the craft intensively, but for me the  camera has many uses and one of which is a journal or a diary.  Photo's like this tell a story and make you want to know more.  They are not planned, but caught at the moment and your mind thinks," oh this is so great, let me get this quickly".  You reach for your camera and try to get a shot before the moment disappears. I think the point is that so often in the arts we can look at what others do that are so accomplished and be intimidated before we even start.  It is so important to think of things as tools for your use and creation and not follow others rules.  Learn how you learn...use everything at your resource for your purposes.  Approach things with fresh eyes.  

WAKE UP AMERICA/Photograph by Elizabeth Gordon

The story here is this.  We are in St. Petersburg, Florida, the home of many retirees form the Northern states.  People come from all over to retire here, the weather is warmer, the taxes lower, and living cost reasonable.  So it is common to see seniors in many places in this area. They also bring their beliefs and politics.  I love the pure determination of this couple, going to an a rally against corporate corruption.  The husband's motorized wheel chair decked out with signs and the wife's chair strapped to her back as they hike to the rally. It says so much and yet leaves a lot for us to wonder about....what is his story?  Was he a corporate man let go early, was he denied his pension by early layoffs, were they foreclosed on....did they hike from far away, are they from the wealthy condo's near by or senior homes not far from the area? So to

me,   this is a great photo that makes me want to know more and the mere fact that I was able to get to the bottom of my purse and find my camera, turn it on and focus before the monument had disappeared! 

 Be as persistent as this couple in your art, never be intimidated by the rules, make up your own!