Week 39 - Finding Inspiration

Reflection

A brightly lit tree is reflected in the pond; hence this week's image is captioned as 'Reflection' for obvious reasons. In this case, however, it has a broader context. The photos we make are reflections of ourselves - who we are and the influences that shape our photography.

More than looking at photography, paintings inspire me to get out into the landscape. Of the many social media platforms available, I find Pinterest offers the most rewarding study of artwork. The visual inspiration it provides is endless. Ultimately, a photo opportunity often evokes a specific painting. I think of it more as inspiration than imitation.

Fog on the River

©Justyna Kopania - used by permission

In this instance, Polish artist Justyna Kopania's beautiful painting of a reflected tree from her 2011 Fog on the River immediately came to mind. While the black-and-white photo cannot emulate the vibrant color and wonderful texture of the artist's work, it can evoke a similar mood. The sunlit tree reflected in the dark surroundings triggered the memory.

Regarding composition, A vertical subject, such as a tree, is best represented in a vertical aspect ratio. However, this project is constrained to a square crop by design. More importantly, the key takeaway is not the photo but the flash of inspiration.

f8 1/125 sec ISO 200 September 26, 2022