There’s nothing better for finding inspiration to create some photographs than going to the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, MA! I’m lucky enough to live less than 10 minutes from this wonderful facility, so visits are fairly frequent!
Ex Terra Orbis
The walk through the Ramble area in the garden presents an intriguing array of spheres of various sizes, which subtly change their colors in a playful manner. I always love capturing them, as their mystery really comes across when contrasted with the dark that surrounds them.
Orbs Aglow
By juxtaposing some of these orbs, there is the opportunity to let our minds explore thoughts of their origins. In the above image, I might imagine that we’re looking at gigantic amphibian eggs that form loosely coupled clusters in the ether around us. Very fanciful imaginings of possible space amphibians that make a regular trip to our planet…
The above images were captured with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and processed with Skylum’s Luminar AI and touched up with Adobe Photoshop.
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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4 thoughts on “Ex Terra Orbis”
Fabulous! So lucky to live so close. We are 20 minutes from the NY Botanical Gardens and became members- always a pleasure to go
Fabulous! So lucky to live so close. We are 20 minutes from the NY Botanical Gardens and became members- always a pleasure to go
Thank you! We’ve become members as well, as there is always so much to see any time of year.
Looks amazing!
Thank you kindly!