Connecting With Nature.
On the Outdoor Photography podcast hosted by Brenda Petrella (a great podcast, you should check it out.), she always ends the episode with a question to her guests. “What does connecting to nature mean to you?” I like this question because it can be so personal for each individual. I bring this up because it is worth considering as we move into the new year. What connecting to nature means to me is a way of escaping into simplicity. I can leave behind the modern world and its concerns while out in nature. It is just me in a moment of enjoyment and Quiet Stillness. (See what I did there?!) It is a time when I can enjoy the beauty and solitude of being out in nature. It is a time to slow down and simply notice and appreciate my surroundings. A moment when there is no objective, no deadline, and nobody else is waiting for something to happen or someone to act. It’s just me and my surroundings. The only thing I have to do is enjoy it. This year I want to try and prioritize that enjoyment. Be cognizant of my surroundings and the feelings I am experiencing at any given moment when I am out on my explorations. I want to create some beautiful images while I am out there, but it can not be the only reason I am out there. Keeping the question in mind while photographing my surroundings, “What does this mean to me?” will help me remember what is essential and, in turn, help me to create more meaningful images. At least, I hope so. My goal for the new year is to remind myself of simple beauty and its importance. To convey that feeling in my photographs and then share it with others, with you, and enjoy the Quiet Stillness that being out in nature brings to me.
I created this image in a moment of escape into nature while in one of the most densely populated cities in California. I was at Landsend park in San Fransisco. Once I started walking down the beach and looking at all the rocks carpeted in mussels, I escaped into the simplicity of this place. The city of San Fransisco melted into the background. Once I saw this large rock in the shadow of a large rock cliff covered in mussels, I knew this was my image for the day. The contrast between the cool tones of water in the shade and the sunlight waves behind was terrific. The slow shutter speed adds a bit of mystery to the image, and the rock almost looks like a tree-covered mountain sticking out of the clouds.
