Project24- #8: Perspective

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 22:31 Written by Justine

What’s interesting about perspective in photography is that almost everything that is put into the making of the photograph is hinged on perspective- physical perspective, emotional perspective, cultural perspective. I’m 5’7″ and my photographs look differently than the ones taken by my 6’2″ husband or, even more different, those from my 4′something children. What’s funny is oftentimes we don’t see, or are even able to recognize, the limitations of our own perspectives. It’s not until we are moved from where we stand in the situation that we are able to look at the situations anew. Sometimes that change of perspective allows us to grow, mature. Other times, that change of perspective further solidifies our convictions.

A little less than a month ago, my (fabulous, amazing and cute) husband and I took a trip we’ve been dreaming of for years- Italy! And some of our perspectives were changed… That anything “old” in the States hasn’t even reached toddlerhood compared to Rome… That Olive Garden isn’t exactly Italian food… That small business that only carry a few select things offer greater business than big box, one-stop shops can… That speed trains are the way to travel!!… That sleeping-in is easily sacrificed if you value what’s to come that day… That the accordion actually is a beautiful instrument when the notes float down a cobbled street on a warm evening… That gelato may just be the best dessert and ought to be consumed daily. And other perspectives were solidified… That hard-boiled eggs do not belong on a pizza… That we love our church body and the community life we have… That all bottled water is overpriced… That the natural beauty that we are privileged to live amidst doesn’t hold a candle to the city life… And that of all the men in the world, there is only one I want as my travel partner in life.

Here is just a couple images from our trip (really only about 2% of the images I took!!) from my perspective. The bulk of them are from the different perspectives of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. It was interesting how it changed based on our various perspectives.

Our first sight of St. Peter’s Square

The columns at the entrance- massive.

Just inside the entry

Michelangelo’s Pieta- amazingly breathtaking to see it beyond the pages of an art history book

Halfway up the hike of over 400 stairs to get to the top of the dome at St. Peter’s

From the inside of the dome above- it was incredible to hear the songs of hymns raising up inside that dome during the evening service.

A quick one by my husband on the way up- here we’re between the inner and outer structures of the dome.

We made it! Those columns surrounding the square are the ones we first looked upon when we walked up. It was amazing to see them looking so small after them towering over us below.

(One of the only 3 times I was willing to hand off my camera to a stranger- Ryan figured they wouldn’t be able to run away fast enough…)

Il Vittoriano with the Colosseum behind to the right as seen from the top of the dome at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Panoramic view of the city- with all the buildings being at least 3 stories tall, while walking down the streets you loose a sense of the beauty of the city and the surrounding landscape as a whole

One last street view of St. Peter’s as we left that day

The next day we visited the Pantheon, the temple to all the gods of ancient Rome built by Hadrian almost 2000 years ago.

The open-air dome allowing the sunlight to come in and fill the room

It was also amazing to see this outside of textbooks. Massively stunning! I no longer look at it as a boring piece of information I once memorized for a test.