August: Soles, Shadows and Late Summer

The sole is a curved surface, so it needs directional light: source at forty-five degrees, slightly behind, so the arch keeps a soft gradient from heel to toe.

Skin condition shows unforgivingly here. Balm the night before, and photograph early in the day before walking flattens the pads.

Late summer casts long shadows by six in the evening. Place the foot so its own shadow falls into the frame as a second shape — the pairing gives depth that a single subject cannot.

Window blinds, railings and leaves all give striped shadow. Use one at a time; two competing patterns make the frame noisy.

Shoot your outdoor reserve now. September moves indoors, and a folder of warm August frames keeps the diary bright through a grey autumn.

End the month with the same frame you started the year with in March — same angle, same surface. Twelve months apart, the pair says more than either image alone.