Fountain, Curves, Concrete, Water
Fountain
Water is beyond my mind,
flowing fluidly over the lip of
the fountain and splashing
into the pond beneath, over
and over.
Sunlight plays too, sparkling
in each small drop
and wave.
My mind swims
in the wet dance
and my body softens
and sways.
Sedona
November 29, 2021
As you can see, this photo doesn't include the usual upper part of the fountain where the water flows down. Why? It would look like a photo of a fountain. I made this photo because it captures the wetness of the fountain - its blue water, its bubbles, and and the day's sunbeams playing in it. There's also a nice interplay of the cool blue curve of the fountain's base and the warm brown concrete of the patio.
As you can see from many of my images, I love to look at things at a distance that's in between a close-up and the normal visual distance that we see the world through. In this way, I find a fresh way to see and experience what's around me. The mind likes to label things, and shooting the whole fountain would lead our minds to think, "Oh, it's a nice fountain" rather than noticing the interplay of water, sunlight, concrete, curves, and bubbles.
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If this kind of photography attracts you, you can begin by noticing your surroundings and seeing them as colors, patterns, shapes, shadows, and light, rather than a thing with a label. Here's an example:
This is a pull tab from a mailer that I saw on our kitchen table. I loved the interplay of its curly-cues, its shadows, and the warm grain of the wood. Would (wood) I print this image and hang it on a wall, the way I would with a picture of the fountain? Probably not. It's not really "art" in the sense that many people gravitate toward. I just took this photo to recognize and celebrate this small instance of sculpture and light.
Lastly, I'll put in a plug for taking your cell-phone camera seriously as a camera, since it's almost always with you. As the saying goes, "the best camera is the one you have with you." My sense is that Apple in particular makes a special effort to produce iPhone cameras with the highest quality they reasonably can.
The smell of water invigorates me...that sweet basis of all biological life...and I can smell the water in your photos, Paul! Please keep on doing your Magic!
Without even commenting on its obvious myriad esthetic qualities, I'll just say the Fountain captivates, refreshes, soothes, and relaxes the body/mind/soul, creating an especially pleasant moment. Thanks, Paul. And the two intersecting helices suggest some primordial, subcellular life process in the most abstract and fascinating way. Your eyes and your camera, Paul, are excellent partners!
Thanks, Paul! I particularly liked:
"My mind swims
in the wet dance
and my body softens
and sways."
I felt myself relaxing a I read it, and paused to enjoy the sensation.