I took a wrong turn this morning. Well, not exactly.
I was wandering around downtown DeLand, looking for things
to photograph — people, architecture, signs, street scenes, back alleys, etc.
and I ended up walking in front of the local landmark, the historic Volusia
County Courthouse. Built in 1929, the architecture is gothic, neo-classical
with a cupola and clock tower. Everybody photographs this iconic structure. I
have photographed it numerous times myself, from every conceivable vantage
point and composition including one from the rooftop of a building a mile away.
I turned to walk away from the structure but hesitated and
decided to check out the inside of the courthouse. I had been inside before,
but, with camera in tow, I really wanted to look for new and interesting
photographic possibilities.
With fresh eyes to consider various perspectives, the
interior gave me several photo opportunities. It is an elegant structure;
bright with numerous distinctive architectural elements from stained glass to
ornate columns.
In addition to the architectural features, what
distinguishes the courthouse interior is the art. There are several paintings
depicting local and state history and a few fine-art photographs. The paintings
offer different styles and are intricate in detail. I made quite a few photographs
and learned about Florida history from the painting descriptions.
Following my curiosity about the courthouse interior led to
new photographs and discovery. Curiosity means wanting to know more. Being
curious about things that you may usually ignore and finding the extraordinary
in your usual surroundings can lead to breakthrough ideas.
So, it wasn't really a wrong turn I made this morning, just
different. And that makes the difference.
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