Are you born with a photographer’s eye or is it something you develop from years of experience? Blowing my own trumpet, I personally feel like I’ve always had a half-decent eye for this stuff, whereas I’ve met many amateur photographers on workshops who feel it’s an area they really need help with to: a) spot a shot, and b) compose correctly to capture it!
So how do you spot a photo op? Sometimes it’s luck. Sometimes there’s a bit of pre-planning. And you always need a camera with you to grab it!
For this shot, there was a bit of a combination of all three. I’d clocked this seemingly-dumped little motorhome a week or two before, tucked away in a car park near some sports fields where I often walk our dog.
On the day I took this picture, I'd timed my little visit with the last light of the day, and on a day when we had some rare blue sky. I couldn’t resist grabbing this shot on my trusty iPhone 11 Pro Max before sunset, as a sort of tribute to Breaking Bad and Walter White & Jesse Pinkman’s infamous Winnebago crystal myth lab.
The sun cast some great side-light on the motorhome, and created some fantastic contrast with the motorhome and rank of garages lit up, but the surrounding carpark and building in shadow.
Then it was just a case of getting an interesting composition. I positioned myself to get the shot showing the little motorhome facing towards the light, yet still hidden out of view.
I wanted a shot that tells a story. Why has the owner parked there? What’s going on inside? I was tempted to knock on the side door, to see if anyone would answer, and maybe open the door and growl, “I’m the one who knocks…”
I chose a 16:9 crop to mimic the wide-screen of television, and a little editing to bring out the warmer colours and vibrant blue sky to pay homage to that iconic Breaking Bad look the cinematographers favored when shooting scenes with big blue skies and the heat of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I can’t believe it’s been over 12 years since the incredible final episode! Breaking Bad began in January 2008, and concluded in September 2013, after five seasons and 62 amazing episodes.
In 2014, Breaking Bad was certified in the Guinness World Records as the most critically-acclaimed show of all time (based on its awards and nominations).
