Ed,
Thanks much. The story about the survivor of the plane crash was
especially moving. It gives long pause for thought.
To me places like Mohawk and Monroe are priceless - natural
treasures with special powers to refresh the spirit. I may specialize
on their big trees, but the camera is helping me to look deeper and
I'm seeing a lot.
Bob
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 21, 2009, at 7:12 PM, "Edward Frank" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Bob,
>
> You ask me how I liked your burst of photos from your field trips
> after years of fruitless encouragement for you to take them. They
> are great. The photos really compliment your efforts at documenting
> the great trees and ancient forests you are encountering. That add
> a dimension beyond that of simple statistics. You can measure a
> tree and photograph a tree for documentation and have a feeling of
> accomplishment and completion for the tasks. You, myself and others
> are looking for ways to better capture these places through
> measurements, descriptions, photos, video clips, and Gary for
> example has just started to post a series of audio nature notes on
> his Facebook page.
>
> The second point of emphasis in your recent photo flurry is the
> attempt to capture the emotional and spiritual impact of the forests
> and trees that you are visiting. That is much harder and I commend
> your efforts. I am never satisfied with attempts to capture these
> more esoteric aims. I don't think anyone ever is satisfied
> completely with this aspect of their photography. In the past you
> have always described these location in a painting of words. I know
> I have been disappointed at times when a favorite book was made into
> a movie because the scene would never quite match what was in my
> mind's eye as I was reading. perhaps this was the crux of your
> reluctance to plunge into photography.
>
> I think the key to photography is understanding the equipment and
> techniques needed to take the pictures, then when in the field you
> can concentrate on the image you want to capture rather than the
> mechanics of the process. You want to have photos that are properly
> exposed and constructed, but beyond those basics is the impression
> you want to capture. You need to take photos that capture the
> vision that you have in your mind. If you maintain your own
> artistic integrity, you will be more satisfied with your photos than
> if you compromise to meet some arbitrary idea defined by others of
> what a photo should be. You can strive for the perfect image, but
> will not often succeed. Ansel Adams to his last days was still
> taking photos, still looking for the perfect image.
>
> There was a man who survived an airplane crash where many others
> died. he is unsure of what he saw, but it seemed to him that he was
> seeing the auras of people killed in the crash leave their bodies.
> Some of the auras were brighter than others. It was his goal from
> that point on to make sure when he passed, his aura would be as
> bright as possible. With your efforts to explore these great
> forests and trees, ad your attempts to capture the emotional and
> spiritual essence of these beings, you are making your aura
> brighter. It it the journey that matters as much as the results.
>
> Ed
>
>
> "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.
> It is the source of all true art and all science." - Albert Einstein
>
> >
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