Can joy be found in learning to photographing nature? I think it can.
Sometimes a camera and an intent to capture a wonderful scene or subject is simply a reason to go to a special place. My father used to love fishing. Even if he did not catch anything, he loved to be out in the river country, or on an ocean beach. Mostly he caught something though, he was very good at it.
My love of photography has taken me places I otherwise may not have gone, and led me to study nature and lighting in a way I otherwise just have looked at.
It is a way of connecting with what you see. And striving for the perfect representation of your experience is a way of studying the subject and the lighting. It is that very study and attention that is the inner place I seek. For me it is quite intense, and I often lose my sense of self in the joy of the moment.
Seeing the beauty of nature is rather like listening to beautiful music. A scene or subject can be pleasing to the eye for most people, as can music. But for some, like music, scenic beauty and lighting can take a secondary place in one's awareness.
The ability to see nuances of lighting is learned, as is the ability to listen to and understand a piece of music. One has to give over to the experience, and give it full attention. Although I do enjoy music, my appreciation of the complexities of music is very limited. Yet friends who are musicians derive so much more from it because they can get inside it, and it gets inside them.
One experience with photography that set a challenge in my mind for years to come, was when I was on a business trip with a close friend. We took a day out of the work schedule to drive through some stunning scenic areas. As the sun was rising, it backlit the dew on pastoral grasses, creating a myriad of sparkling diamonds.
Moved by the delicate beauty of the scene, I commented to my friend how much joy I got from lighting like this. He responded with, "You make it sound like you have some unique ability to see such things. Everyone sees the world the same!" I think at some level, he saw merit in my work, but had little patience for the time needed to capture it.
I knew his seemingly judgmental comment was not accurate. After all, throughout the centuries, artists have sought to learn how to see and portray light. So I worked even harder to see, feel and understand lighting, and use that in my images as part of what I sought to portray.
Sometimes when I am taking photographs, I will explain to myself what it is I am drawn to in the scene and what I am seeking to portray. As if I am telling someone else. That helps me capture the experience and think about the lighting and what goes into the shot. And this conversation continues when I am editing and perfecting the image digitally.
And this process has rewards beyond a finished print or image on a screen. I am always looking and studying light, seeking the beauty of nature and the nature of beauty.
This is the triptych I showcased at Photo Expo 2010, in my session "Express Your Inner Artist". It is sunset at Monument Valley. Click on it to see it larger.
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