Pursuing the Light
The message that Contrast communicates
In the 19th century as William Henley was asserting “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul,” another of his generation, James Russell Lovell, was writing about a very different philosophy. He stated in The Present Crisis,
“Truth forever on the scaffold,
Wrong forever on the throne –
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and,
behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow,
keeping watch above His Own.”
Why is it that life is found neither entirely in the light nor solely in the shadows? Is it perhaps that our understanding of light affects our interpretation of shadows, since without light there would be no shadows. All acquired wisdom, therefore, points the seeker of light to finding peace and pleasure in the same way that a seed has to first die before it can bear. The photographer comes to know that it takes both light and shadow to communicate photographic vision effectively. As a child, I feared the shadows, but after surviving a southern hemisphere cyclone that lasted three and a half days with maximum wind speeds of 253 kilometers per hour, all fears of shadows were banished from my 6 year-old mind. The storm had thrown everything it had at us on the tiny Island of Mauritius, and yet we were all still standing. In life, some might feel that it takes a special kind of bravery to investigate the shadows, but one should not be surprised that boldness can pay huge dividends in both life and art! Lovers of light will pursue the rich contrast between light and shadows. They know that as the light brings insight, the shadow brings inquiry, adds mystique to the scene, and reveals to them the inexplicable. Like night and day co-exist, light and shadow interplay together to complete every picture, such as at sunrise and sunset, where it seems that neither dominates the other. It is every photographer’s dream, at those times, to hold in hand the right equipment.
The sun, which represents for me life’s most obvious metaphor, is gracious, and does not discriminate. Everything falls beneath its benevolent shining whether it is the smooth grain of an oak fence that stands out in the morning light, or the fine sinewy bark of a maple tree, or even the sunny shine of a felled tree trunk lying in the Ontario grass. There is a moment of beauty for everything that lives or dies under the sun, so that those who prefer to linger can partake in the festival orchestrated by the elements. The symbiosis of the heavens and the earth are indeed a complete symphony. At every moment, the wind, the clouds, and the rain can determine how it will all be appreciated or rejected, shared or shunned! In one instant, the sky will shout an abundant “Glory,” at another it can brood with foreboding, and deny pleasure to all. Yet, those who observe the steady patterns of seasons will recognize that it is the adjudicator of growth, and can be relied upon to deliver beauty to the observant.
As I sat on an old maple log this morning waiting for the sun to reappear at Omagh, Ontario, my thoughts were swept up into the skies by the cool October wind, like the leaves that were being thrown about. I pondered the message that light and shadows, night and day, and summer and winter were speaking - The wise that observe, will give the same nod of the head at these parallels! They know that the passing of yesterdays bring the hope of new tomorrows. They understand that the certainty of heaven’s cycles is their safety. The self-pruning proves only that what must be cast away generally helps sweeten what will be produced from within in the next spring season. They learn not to fear the shaking. Humankind can only sow and water the seeds, but it is to heaven that we look for the increase. This gracious divine touch can be appreciated by the discerning photographic eye, even in the darkest cave… for even there a sliver of reflected light can caress an ugly shape, and turn it into a thing of beauty.
Loys
13th October 2007
[THE PHOTOS OF THIS THEME ARE #1 - #16 OF THE “Show Shots” SELECTION]
PHOTO BOOK #2
Light at Play
The relationship between light, shade, land, sea, and sky in the frame of a monochrome photograph
Light, most outstandingly, in order to be appreciated, is first welcomed from outside of us. King George VI of England, in his 1939 Christmas address, quoted a story of a man who stood at the gate of the year asking the gatekeeper, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” The gatekeeper replied, “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” I am left asking myself each day for the vision to see through my limitations and inhibitions, since each tableau has a message both for the now and for the future. Wrestling with the frame, the shape of objects and their positions, the tones that communicate the inner interpretations of what we have seen, we ask: Can it be saying something to me?
Light communicated through the monochrome frame
The interaction of sky and land explains the synchronism between the tangible and the intangible. The movement of air uplifts matter. Matter is celebrated outward into the space that frames it. The strength of tangible mass casts shadows that crave description, and hint of the beauty that is there, but that will not ever be fully seen - that, is the mystery that we must not allow to dissipate through unnecessary clutter! Light needs intangible space to paint its canvas. It can seek out the form of tangible matter, and shape beauty even from an ugly rock. It can block out or bring together, cut or construct. It will fashion from one contour a silver ribbon nestled on the side of a hill. It mints the grain from half a tree trunk and simultaneously shuns another. It streamlines horizons, and trims mountains. It reveals, it beckons the eye to follow it. It finds perhaps what could never be seen or appreciated by even supreme human effort. It explodes the ordinary into multiple dimensions, and turns monochrome into multiple reflections. Light is angelic. Like the ascending crescendo of a full orchestra, light positions the clouds to suit the tableau. It marches out of the earth and leaps to places land cannot follow. It blends. It curves. It throws itself above the hills and the fields. It celebrates its freedom and beckons our leaden feet to trust what we cannot rationalize… and yet it is near, but if we try to touch it, the shadow we cast will tell us that it can never be controlled.
Light when it shines is heaven’s smile. In a moment, it can soothe a furrowed brow; in another, it hides itself behind a gathering cloud. It teases, it invites, it tells us the story of change. It reminds us that life’s most precious commodities are not subject to human whim. The mighty custodian who commands the sky is both painter and architect. Structure and serendipity blend in resplendent symphony. Explosions of brilliant light can follow containment in quick succession like the notes of a trumpet the flute. The rays of the sun play around the edges of heavyset clouds positioned to dispel the afternoon heat. The wind that blows stretches the condensed air into thin spaghetti like strips that point to the outer zones.
There is the sense, therefore for lovers of simplicity, symmetry, cleanliness, assiduousness, and honesty, that color could imprison contemplation. The black and white tones command the admiration of Light’s majesty, as both the sheer and the more subtle contrasts between light and shadow urge examination of the core interrelationships in the frame. They reject excess and keep the scene more honest and simple. The monochrome tones bring a serene order and allow each ingredient in the picture an equal share of attention. Good shots usually compel us to every part of the frame without losing focus. The quality of the information on a frame is important – it allows the senses to be overwhelmed with delight. Great shots should be worth attaining – they have so much to say – they prolong appreciation!
Loys
SHOTS OF THIS PHOTO BOOK:
#23 (Show Shot) – Horseshoe at sunset
#22 (Show Shot) – Canadian Rockies at Invermere
#31 (Show Shot) – Virgin Gorda Sky
#37 (Show Shot) – Omagh sky through the roof of a broken barn
#40 (Show Shot) – Calgary hay field
#45 (Show Shot) – The Pole fence on Road 264 - Calgary
#46 (Show Shot) – Two Silos on Road 264 - Calgary
#47 (Show Shot) – Annaberg Ruins - St. John - 1
#48 (Show Shot) – Annaberg Ruins - St. John - 2
#49 (Show Shot) – Bow River - Banff
PHOTO BOOK #3
Carlsbad, California
2nd February 2007
Melaleuca trees eager to shed their bark, Eucalyptus Gum trees, Monterrey Pines, and assortments of squat pine trees trimmed by the sea breezes blowing in from the Pacific, make Carlsbad a true Californian coastal scene. Add to that; orderly government; good municipal leadership, and a town of people who care for their environment, and you have something special. The place known for the flowering Ranaculas in spring is taking its place in the catalogue of worldwide tourism.
Our arrival in Carlsbad, California was in the dark. Nothing could have prepared us however for what greeted us the next morning. The ‘California’ feel was palpable in the morning light. Cacti provided the perfect backdrop to the topaz blue near-shore Pacific.
The main road into the Carlsbad village was saluted by Washingtonian fan palms standing as tall sentinels on both sides of the road.
Strawberry picking season is in! Rows and rows of stubby green bushes laden with flashes of red fruit carry the mood of a coastal village brimming with hope for the changing season. Winter is barely over, but spring is already in the air in Carlsbad...
(The full article of approximately 800-1000 words is available on order - together with ten to sixteen 25meg JPG colour photographs)
PHOTO BOOK #4
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
November 2007
Only a one and a half hour flight East from Vancouver is the city of Calgary. Calgary, one of the sunniest cities in Canada, has many pleasant surprises as a sought after tourist destination, such as its proximity to Banff, the world famous sky resort, and the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the West, which are only a one-hour car journey away. The resort cities of eastern British Columbia are also within easy reach.
The city is situated at the crossroads of two of North America's biggest Highways, the Trans Canada Highway, and the Canamex Corridor that joins Canada to Mexico. Calgary is considered the heart of the Canadian West, exemplified by the yearly Calgary Stampede and festival. It is both a place of breathtaking outdoor adventures and of peaceful bucolic scenes. Irrespective of which direction the tourists choose to travel, they will be met by extravagant beauty, whether it is cowboy country, or the northern prairies, or the Southern Badlands where the visitor will find the famed Dinosaur Trail, and Canada’s mini-grand canyon – the Horseshoe Canyon. There is also Alberta’s high country, which is in the words of Tourism Calgary, “…home to legendary ranches, rich grasslands, and friendly small towns, where cowboys still tip their hats and Western culture flourishes at rodeos, powwows, farmers' markets and cowboy poetry festivals” (see www.tourismcalgary.com). Albertans are known for their hospitality and order – attributes matched exactly by the abundant and pristine wilderness. The four distinct seasons provide the tourist with year-round activities such as skiing, hiking, dog-sledding, biking, mountain climbing, fishing, water sports, golfing and a myriad of other activities...
(The full article of approximately 800-1000 words is available on order - together with ten to sixteen 25meg JPG colour photographs)
PHOTO BOOK #5
The Salton Sea
Three hours southeast of Los Angeles
The Californian pre-dawn at the Salton Sea can only be described as an out of this world experience! This major avian migratory corridor of the Pacific Flyway in the Southern Californian desert, can be seen 100 kilometers away from the top of the mountain station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway at 8500 feet. The Salton Sea is reputed to be California’s crown jewel of avian biodiversity.
To catch the rising sun, the trip from Rancho Mirage or Palm Springs has to be undertaken in the predawn. One hour of travel on Highway 10 and then south on the 86 was done in the dark and with keen anticipation. At 6:00am in October, the shores were almost in complete darkness with only a few streetlights operating here and there, but the presence of the sea was evident in the unmistakable marine air. The crunch of car tires on soft shell sand roads is another sign of marine activity. The visitor is invariably greeted smell of fish and salt, which can initially overpower the senses. In the dark, it would be impossible to predict what the eye is about to see. Catching the familiar crimson line of every sunrise makes the early travel worth taking. Slowly the shapes and sounds of thousands of birds, including the large American White Pelicans, and an assortment of gulls and other marine bird life heralds the rising sun. At the feet of every visitor will emerge a wonder that they would probably have never been told about, nor could ever have been expected to know! They will stand for the first time on shores not made of sand, but formed from trillions of fish bones and quills white-washed to brilliant white by the bleaching work of more than one hundred years of sun, phosphor and salt! The evidence that the Salton Sea arguably possessed the best fisheries in the world is plainly evident for everyone to see.
The Salton Sea, at 227 feet below sea level, is the largest lake in California, and is no more than 51 feet deep...
(The full article of approximately 800-1000 words is available on order - together with 1ten to sixteen 25meg JPG colour photographs)
PHOTO BOOK #6
Lower Sabie, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Lower Sabie and the Gomondwane Road
William Blake once wrote, “None can desire what he has not perceived.” The Kruger National Park’s diverse beauty will invade the visitor’s perception with wonder. The Lower Sabie region of the Kruger National Park, with its high concentration of game, is particularly worth a visit. Even a trip of a single day into the southern part of the Park cannot escape a book-full of superlatives. There is nothing more uniquely inspiring in the world.
The Lower Sabie region of the Kruger National Park is within easy access of Johannesburg (+- 7 hours of travel), and of the eastern Transvaal city of Nelspruit (+- 2 hours of travel). Entrance can be gained through the Kruger gate in the south west of the park, or through the southern Crocodile Bridge gate.
The Gomondwane Loop (the S130) is situated off the Gomondwane Road linking the Lower Sabie camp and the Crocodile Bridge gate. The assortment of shaded Kruger dense tree savannah and short lawn grasses can be initially unattractive to the eye. However, as the sun rises over the Lebombo Mountains on the left, the receding shadows turns the S130 into golden glory. The same uninteresting bushes perhaps ignored a few minutes before come alive in the sunrise. There is definitely a lot more to see than the Big Five on the Gomondwane Road. The African sunrise graces this small dirt road with many indescribably magical moments...
(The full article of approximately 800-1000 words is available on order - together with ten to sixteen 25meg JPG colour photographs)
PHOTO BOOK #7
Britannia Road - Ontario, Canada
PHOTO BOOK #8
St. John - US Virgin Islands
PHOTO BOOK #9
Canadian Rockies
PHOTO BOOK #10
Norman Island - British Virgin island
PHOTO BOOK #11
Road Town - British Virgin Island
PHOTO BOOK #12
Fauna of the British Virgin Island
PHOTO BOOK #13
Satara - Kruger National Park, South Africa
PHOTO BOOK #14
Virgin Gorda - British Virgin Islands
PHOTO BOOK #15
A Winter Scene at Horseshoe
PHOTO BOOK #16
The 401 - Ontario, Canada
PHOTO BOOK #17
Mid-Berg - South Africa
PHOTO BOOK #18
Heaven in my backyard - Milton