I spent the weekend at a friend’s cabin in Maine surrounded by several feet of fresh snow. A suggested theme was “light” for anyone who wanted to explore the idea with their camera. What we found, not surprisingly, is that everyone had their own take on the subject matter.

There was abstraction: a golden patch of light on a wooden floor, marked with a web of shadows from branches outside. Landscape: snow covered trees highlighted by light from the early morning sun. And more literal interpretations, like the flame from a candle.

In the end there was a good discussion about what the photos “should have been” and whether light should necessarily have been the focal point of the image, or simply an integral part of it. Personally, as a photographer I like this sort of exercise to get you thinking outside of the box and trying new things. And I especially like the idea of it being completely open to interpretation.

New York State Fairgrounds