Trying to make something out of nothing is a old adage in photography. We are constantly challenged to make scenes that are less than interesting, more interesting. We can do this in many ways. We can use motion, camera angle, framing, depth of field, color, and other techniques. Sometimes we can combine aesthetic choices to make something work to our advantage.
This image was made with the built-in flash on the Canon 40D camera at a half-second exposure with an aperture of f/22. As I depressed the shutter I pulled the zoom on the 18-70mm back from telephoto to wide. There really isn't just one way to approach a challenging assignment, but you can get some surprising results if you allow yourself to experiment with life and light.
Using the pop-up flash will help freeze the central focus of the frame. Making the lens zoom in and out will produce any number of variations on the theme.Ultimately, the results you can get from experimentation can help convey a more dynamic and compelling message.
These maple leaves were just a few hundred feet from the music hall. The street lamp was illuminating the leaves in the darkness. Using a telephoto lens (200mm f/2.8) I wanted to play with shape, form and color. Even when there seems no light to the human eye, the camera may catch something that will surprise you.