"Everyday Affair" by Michael Lott

Everyday Affair

Michael Lott, Community College of Allegheny County

Artist Statement: How many steps would you say you have climbed in your lifetime, and how many more do you think will be in your future? The extent of this measure is, of course, unimaginably large. This image seeks to capture that most mundane element of our lives: the steps we take each day to go about our daily rituals and routines. I came across this scene while my group traveled back from a boat ride along the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi during our Honors Program India study abroad trip. How many thousands upon thousands of people have walked these very steps to find themselves on this riverbank, or to make their way home? This incredible alignment stole my attention in the literal blink of an eye, and I knew immediately I had to capture it. Had I blinked, I would have passed it by. The stairs were arranged in three distinct segments whose leading lines created a visual pull upward, while the overhead lighting cast a bright glow on the plaque at the top, spilling down over the stairs in the night. I decided on this angle to preserve the symmetry while ensuring a deep contrast between light and shadow, which I emphasized even further during my editing process. This process also included recovering the deep reds and oranges that the bright overhead lights had washed out, leaving the unedited version feeling hollow. My goal with editing was to bring back the warmth and connection I felt then while remaining true to reality. This piece is a telling example of how the elegance of everyday places and objects is ephemeral, disregarded, and fleeting, as if life's sole purpose were to constantly run away from them.

Unedited Photo

Edited Photo