Saturday, June 2, 2012

An Itch I Can't Seem to Scratch


Just for the record, this is not how it appeared. But I like it. It's weird.

I went for a ride this morning while I was (am still) waiting for my son to be finished with yet another college prep test. It was raining and not so pleasant outside, but sometimes these drizzly days make really good photo ops. I wandered around Pawling, and wasnt finding much. I was ready to throw in the towel and go get a cup of coffee. There was no where to turn the car around, so I kept driving. I know by now, after many, many rides like this that sometimes the best opportunities come after you have decided to give up. (Why is that?)
I came upon fields of young plants of something or other, and as always, I am drawn in by the rhythms of the crop rows, juxtapositioned against the natural landscape. I drove past because there was not space to turn the car around. When I cam back the other way, I shot a few pictures, thinking that I'd have some really nice photos. And...again as always, I was disappointed with the results. It wasnt't that they were bad photos, really. They just weren't what my eyes saw. As I stood there before the expanse of dark, wet earth interrupted by the bright spring green of the crops, I was moved by it in a way that I am not by looking at it in 2D, in little sections. That is always my frustration. How on earth do I represent/reflect not just the image, but the feeling? How do I transmit to the viewer the sense of awe and reverence that I feel when I look at the real thing? This is an itch that I am stll trying to scratch. I am thinking it will always be just out of reach, but that doesn't mean I should stop trying.

3 comments:

  1. I don't know anything about photography and all the different ways you can tweak the camera but do you also find yourself frustrated in the same way when you paint?

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  2. Hi Molly- I do find frustration there too, but for other reasons- photography is easy compared to painting (for me). It takes hours to sometimes end up with something that is..blah. Occasionally, I feel like the finished product speaks to me, and that's when I feel like it's done. It's the tease of that feeling that keeps me wanting to do the next one! A lot of people say to me- "oh you paint! That must be a really nice way to relax." It is actually the worst way I know to relax. It requires all of my focus and concentration and patience to stick it out. It is a big effort, and when I ask myself why do I want to keep doing it, the answer is in my next walk outside when I find myself absentmindedly "painting" what I see, with my imaginary brush. It's just part of me!

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  3. Hi Colette,
    The photo looks amazing, though I know a live vie would do greater justice. But it really does look beautiful. I found you at (In)courage community and now follow you on GFC.
    Have a glorious evening!
    http://www.ugochi-jolomi.com/

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