This time of year everyone's talk turns to time...how quickly the year has gone by, how soon the holidays will be upon us, how little time is left to accomplish all of the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year.
Whenever I see a perfectly placed shadow like the one in the image above I can't help but think about ancient shadow clocks and marking the passage of time by the stars. I think of how the first thing I did after leaving the corporate world was to stop wearing a watch. There are still deadlines and appointments and schedules that need monitoring in my day to day life, but when I'm out there the day flows at its own pace and I easily settle in to Mother Nature's rhythm.
Intimate landscape photography can't be rushed or forced (although these days it seems it is quite acceptable to fake but that is a story for another day). Certainly it's important to schedule shoots around things like key astrological events, but merely showing up on time doesn't guarantee that all circumstances will be perfect for the image we are seeking. When I commented to a photographer whose work I greatly respect and admire that my seascape project had slowed down while I wait for the right weather and right frame of mind he told me that he believes that civilization should occur at a geological pace. Wise and appropriate words from someone who doesn't photograph landscapes or nature but still understands.
In the mean time I'm happy to sit and watch the light change and the shadows fall until the time is right.
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