Time Worn

A challenge when shooting a subject over time is seeing the familiar in new ways.

This photo, of the worn surface on a canvas pulley belt at Thompson's Mills, is a good example of taking a fresh look. The belt is normally submerged in strong shadows, so I used an old Nikon Speedlight (triggered by a PocketWizard) on my 5DII to bring out the patterns and character lurking there.

I'd start the camera's self-timer, then move around to the back side of the contraption and aim the flash along the axis of the belt (humans make excellent light stands). I needed a few takes to get the image I wanted, but the technique is straightforward and, most importantly, gave me a wonderful rendition of something I pass every time I visit the mill.