New Beginnings are not always happy and exciting. There is a sense of dread and anxiety that comes with leaving the past behind. I think it is common to feel disoriented at first. And because it seems like you have to face things head-on by yourself, one can also feel a bit abandoned. The bright center-framed sign that says “FREE!” marks the beginning of a new life for the parasol, but it is also a price tag that leaves it vulnerable to be taken away. Looking at this picture makes me think, “What will life have in store for this outdoor umbrella? Will it just end up abandoned again?”
When I took this photo, there was a lot of sun and the background was really distracting. However, I still chose to photograph it because I liked the diagonal lighting and especially the way the parasol hung, it had so much character. It really surprised me how powerful a camera is in the sense that it took a very mundane and overexposed scene and turned it into an interesting composition. I added a noise filter and a photo filter in Photoshop to give the photo a more nostalgic yet ominous feeling, as well as to cut out some of the background and simplify the range of colors.