Newsletter No. 30: January 2008
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
CONTENTS
- In Memory of John O’Donohue
- Another Personal Challenge
- Upcoming Appearance
- Nuk Tessli Alpine Photo Adventure
1. In Memory of John O’Donohue
Stillness & Solitude
© Chris Harris; Canon EOS-3 film camera
(page 96-97 in the book The Bowron Lakes)
Unna Lake is a contemplative body of water, a charmed place to relax and explore both outer and inner landscapes. As the Irish poet John O’Donohue wrote in his book Anam Cara, "Stillness and solitude can be wonderful gifts and great resources for you."
On some of my many trips to Ireland to visit my sister, I have had the opportunity to meet many wonderful artists including the late John O’Donohue, internationally-acclaimed poet, who passed away suddenly this month. I would like to pay tribute to John for he was a huge inspiration to me and my photography at the time I was photographing both my Bowron Lakes and Grasslands books.
Patterns While Paddling
© Chris Harris
Canon EOS-3 film camera
(page 121 in the book The Bowron Lakes)
As I paddled, I became fascinated by the patterns and colours in the water. Constantly moving, these shifting shapes are created, re-created, and transformed by wind, water depth, and the colours of the sky and surrounding foliage.
On solo paddling expeditions to photograph the Bowron Lakes, I would read from John’s book Anam Cara. His words evoked new depths of awareness that in turn encouraged visual exploration. His thoughts on silence, solitude, light, creativity and the sacredness of nature, all encouraged the visualization of my surroundings from a new and fresh perspective. The image above is an example. For the very first time, I allowed myself to be an artist rather than merely a documenter of the land. For the very first time, I felt confident in showing how I actually felt while paddling the Lakes. Many of the images I decided to publish in that book, therefore, were in part due to the thoughts and words of John O’Donohue.
When we see beauty, we find ourselves coming alive with a sense of delight and celebration. That evening while hiking over the open grasslands, I had discovered the pure gift of simple beauty. I created the image to evoke the powerful sense of space, light and quietude that is the gift one receives in that landscape.
The above image was titled as a result of reading John O’Donohue’s recent book, Divine Beauty. While hiking in the open grasslands that evening, I saw a solitary tree. I imagined something very beautiful and I then spent the next hour preparing for the creation of that image.
John’s thoughts on beauty and the essential sacredness of beauty and its place in our spiritual life as humans, influenced me hugely in my efforts to bring the beauty of the grasslands to you, my audience.
As we turn more and more of our beautiful earth into wasteland, the call of Beauty may be the very answer to creative positive action and invoke hope for the future.
2. Another Personal ChallengeOne month ago, the day after my last Spirit in the Grass book tour presentation, I entered UBC Hospital for a hip-replacement operation. The timing was perfect, for by the time April rolls around, I will be in perfect shape to tackle my next photographic project. The convalescence time has provided time to reflect on my previous Grasslands project and give serious thought to my next assignment.
Breaking the Barrier
© Chris Harris
Canon EOS-1D Mark II; Lens:70-200mm;
Focal length: 115mm; ISO: 400;
Shutter speed: 3.2 sec; Aperture: 16
Apart from a one week photographic trip to the alpine (see section 4 below), last year was my most stagnant year ever as a photographer. The Grasslands book devoured most of my time and I lost touch with my camera and my ability to see and pre-visualize imagery. Last week, even though I was still on crutches, I took my camera, almost in desperation. I hobbled around the house trying to overcome the dreaded blindness of familiarity. At first I didn’t know where to look or how to start. This self assignment had nothing to do with trying to create a great image – I just wanted to break the barrier of being afraid to pick up my camera and make an image. It felt good. I only made about ten images that day and the image looking down the hallway appealed to me the most. As the days pass, I can feel my energy returning. My mind is now turning to my next project and I am feeling more and more pumped and excited to get at it. In fact I can’t wait. More about that later!
3. Upcoming Appearance
Presentation: Spirit in the Grass: The Cariboo Chilcotin’s Forgotten Landscape Date: March 12th Time: 7:30pm Location: UNBC Canfor Theatre, Prince George Sponsor: The Prince George Photographic Society Tickets: $10.00 in advance; $12.00 at the door Further information will soon be available at: www.pgphotoclub.com
If any of you have friends in the Prince George area who might in interested in attending this presentation, please forward them this Newsletter or pass the information on to them.
4. Nuk Tessli Alpine Photo AdventureIn Newsletters # 25 and 26, I took you on a holiday photo adventure to Chris Czajkowski’s famous cabin on Nuk Tessli Lake in the Chilcotin’s Coast Mountains. It was here that Rita and I explored the alpine. There were a few more images I wanted to share with you from that trip but the story was cut short due to the launch of the book Spirit in the Grass. So let’s go back to the alpine one more time. This will set the mood and prepare us for the new and upcoming phase.
Alpine Meadow
© Chris Harris
Canon EOS-1D Mark II; Lens: 17-35 mm;
Focal length: 22mm; ISO: 200;
Exp.compensation: -1/3
Shutter speed: .5 sec., Aperture: 18
It was our last morning, so Rita and I rose at 3:30 am, and hiked to the alpine before dawn to catch the sunrise. I had discovered this very special area of small alpine tarns, all interconnected by short meandering streams. It was beautiful (plus the mosquitoes weren’t out yet) as I searched for a pleasing composition. Using the water as a vehicle to lead my eye through the picture space, I awaited the first cast of magenta to light up the horizon beyond the Coast Mountains.
In order to capture the detail in the foreground, I used a 2-stop split neutral density filter in order to reduce the light value above the horizon. Today I could make this image without any filter by making 3-5 images of the same scene at different exposures so as to expose the brightest and darkest areas if the scene correctly. Then, while processing the images, I could merge them into one single image which would show the proper exposure for all the light values. These images are called HDR (High Dynamic Range) images. How you choose to shoot these images with a high dynamic range is of course up to you. The end result we are after is an image similar to what we see in the field with our naked eye. My eyes saw the image that you see in the above photograph, and that is why I shot it with a filter. The film or digital sensors in our cameras, as expensive as they are, are unable to accomplish this.
Clouds above Snow Patch
© Chris Harris
Canon EOS-1D Mark II; Lens: 17-35 mm;
Focal length: 35mm; ISO: 100;
Exp.compensation: +1/3
Shutter speed: 1/60 sec., Aperture: 22
Later in the day, while hiking over a rather large snow patch in the alpine, I noticed the beautiful formation of clouds. Allow me to explain the thought process in creating this image. More and more, I have to emphasize the importance of continuously abstracting the landscape by recognizing shapes, texture and lines. Firstly, get rid of all labels – forget that you are looking at snow, clouds and sky. Those labels may convince you that this image is not worth making. What you are really looking at here are three rectangular shapes (snow at the bottom, then clouds, and finally blue sky) above which is a beautiful shape of white fluff. The challenge of photography is recognizing these elements of composition and bringing them together as one harmonious "whole".
Hiking in Heaven
© Chris Harris
Canon EOS-1D Mark II; Lens: 100-400mm;
Focal length: 170mm; ISO: 400;
Exp.compensation: -1/3
Shutter speed: 1/800 sec., Aperture: 13
I will leave you with this image to show you the beauty of this alpine area. Wherever we seemed to hike, we were surrounded by spectacular vistas of the Coast Mountains. If you think you might enjoy a few days of hiking in a setting like this, contact Chris Czajkowski. It’s pretty hard to beat!