Our canoe set to rest for a while, my paddling companion, whom I fondly call The Voyageur, and I descend behind our camp into the surrounding forest below. It is surprisingly open. The cedar, birch and hemlock seem to be presenting us with a pathway that picks and pokes its way along the shore. It beckons us; an invitation to follow, for miles if we dare. Being fools, we cannot help but accept. As in a dream, not so much walking as floating, we make our way. Not separate now. We receive and are received by the mystery.
This is good Kerry. Real good. I can see purpose in this image. The main subjects are clear as on a stage and the secondary backdrop behind them but related to them. The light is gorgeous in that it’s not harsh yet distinctly present and purposeful. Now for the hard part - what is it about? There are many answers. Directional light in woods can suggest a life giving beneficent force. A spirituality. I see it that way more than a mystery.
Wonderful capture, Kerry. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. As someone here on NPN said recently I believe, you have quite a talent for writing also. The lighting, as Igor mentioned, is amazing. For me, your photo suggests a journey, could be spiritual or a mystery, but nevertheless an exciting adventure.
How fortunate we are to see your photographs, and to read your poetic prose. I hope your words come back to me when I am next on a marginal path through the woods.
Just wondering about lighting. From your words, the inviting path is to the left of the trees. To me, that would be conveyed more convincingly if much of the LHS were darker.
This is really, really good, Kerry! What a clean and uncluttered understory for the three main subjects. I don’t know my trees but it looks like three distinct and different trees sharing the limelight here Kerry. How unusual is that??? I love the moss grounding the trees and adding life to them as well. I also love the leaning tree that exits the frame. It creates a nice tension in the frame. That soft, muted, orange glow coming from the center/left background is like a life force and also like an invitation to come along now. What really makes this image for me though is the perfectly straight tree trunks of the all of the smaller, younger trees in the background being juxtaposed by the larger leaning trees. Visual ambiguity.
Hey Kerry, this has your signature style all over it. The prose is wonderful too. At first I struggled to understand the image. I felt the three trees were positioned to block my view into the distance. My eyes wanted to explore further. But the second look helped me understand that the trees are the subject with a wonderful backdrop. An impressive image all around.
Very nice work, Kerry. The wonderful deep richness of the woodland is captured beautifully and certainly does beckon one forward into the forest. Love the vertical trunks and repetitive branching forms in the background and the detail and sharpness of the trunks of the 3 dominant trees. Not a fan of the black border though.
@Igor_Doncov - Your very enthusiastic reply is much appreciated. I love soft diffuse light as I know you do, and I came back to this scene four or five times before the light was just right.
Now, as to the question of mystery. I am referring to “the mystery” not “a mystery”. Ungraspable or esoteric spiritual truths, regardless of which religious tradition they may be grounded in, are often referred to as “mystery”. As an example, The Western Mystery Tradition, which includes the mystical teachings of Kabbalah, Neoplatonism, Gnosticism and Hermeticism had a revival beginning around the turn of the 20th century, under the rubric of Theosophy. For a less “academic” understanding of the use of the word “mystery” I refer you to Van Morrison’s gorgeous song, “The Mystery”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZkjuqcCSKI @linda_mellor - Thank you, Linda. I am thinking more and more of creating some kind of monograph or even a book that would combine my written thoughts with images. And yes, a spiritual journey, which is what it almost always feels like and what drew me to wilderness and photography in the first place. @Dick_Knudson - Thanks for your comments and suggestion, Dick. I did do a very slight rework darkening the left side but only slightly. I don’t want to be too heavy handed but the slight darkening seems to improve the image overall. Being that the change is very slight I haven’t bothered to post the rework. @David_Haynes - Since reading Suzanne Simard’s incredible book, “Finding the Mother Tree” I have become aware not only of the trees in the forest but their relationships with one another. These relationships are often cross species. Birch and fir, for example, are often found together and Simard’s research indicates that this is intentional and is a true relationship. I believe this is the case here, three trees that support and nourish each other. And yes, I’m pleased to say, I was very much aware of those straight saplings and what a perfect background they provided. @David_Bostock - “Signature style” - my goodness, have I arrived?! Thanks, as always, for your enthusiastic support. @Stephen_Stanton - Thank you, Stephen. Yeah, the black border is a little dense but that’s just me fooling around @DeanRoyer - Thanks, Dean.
Thanks, as always, for your enthusiastic support.