VN #004: Niut – Part 1 of 4
A Photographic Adventure to the Niut Mountains
Part I of 3: Staying in touch with my work
Curating my image bank is turning out to be more valuable and exciting than I ever expected. Most importantly, beyond reliving a memorable experience, is the re-engagement with my creative process; technically, artistically, and emotionally. It’s an ideal way of staying in touch with past work, and imagining expressions of the future.
After a 15-minute helicopter flight, we put down in a remote setting we had never set eyes on before. I chose our basecamp location at the upper left corner of this image near the outflow of these two glacier tarns. We were in heaven!
By examining what styles I used, what perspectives I sought, and what elements were most important to me, I am able to relive my experiences, recall my feelings, and acquire a deeper sense of place.
When photographing the landscape, I try to connect with the spirit that resides in the place. I remember how excited I was while setting up my tripod here, the resonance was overpowering. Art comes more from the interior, than the exterior.
Never once during the four days did I feel I had finished photographing the beauty of these two small lakes. Each image was about a feeling I was experiencing; a resonance, an energy exchange.
The term ‘topophilia’ describes an emotional connection between people and a place. As I hiked around these two alpine tarns daily, seeking to capture its light and beauty, I acquired a deep sense of topophilia.
All six of these images took me far beyond the beauty which I saw; they revealed how I responded emotionally to the light at each moment in time.