After the rains I spent this Sunday exploring the effects by visiting local waterfalls and Turner’s Falls.
A late post, as I spent some time on this lovely Sunday to go follow the water! As there had been a tremendous amount of rain over the past week and a half, I thought it might be worthwhile to see the effect. This included a trip to one of my favorite local waterfalls (pictures later), and to Turner’s Falls. The Connecticut river flows through Turner’s Falls and to say it was a spectacle is an understatement.
Here’s an image from today…
Storage Container
Sitting alongside the power canal in Turner’s Falls, it appears that this building was used for some type of storage. I’m not sure what used to be stored in it, but given its proximity to the mill buildings, I expect it may have been fuel. If that’s the case, it would have been for the latter part of the history of the mills along the canal, as water was the main power source originally.
On this day it was a nice scene to capture, especially as the power canal was fully maxed out in terms of water flow.
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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