Standing Still
Stillness is the most enduring quality of
all. It makes no attempt to move or be
different. Stillness allows existence to be
exactly as it is.
- Exercise -
Can stillness be seen as well as felt?
What would it look like? Where would
you find it? How would you photograph
it? Spend a day searching for this elusive
quality in the landscape. Think in terms
of symbolic as well as literal stillness.
Much can be communicated about
stillness through composition and light.
I don't think there is anything that says stillness for me better than a foggy day by the sea. There is an enveloping cloak of quiet that is hushed and silent. This image is of a harbor in Chatham from my recent visit there. It was a dreary grey day but no problem for this contemplative photographer. I adore fog! In this photograph, I particularly like the one spot of color in the orange marker and the gently curving line that leads your eye into the picture plane. The small dot of color seems to enhance the greyness of the fog by its contrast.
On a practical note...I bring along a thin plastic bag, like the kind they use for covering your dry cleaning, to protect my camera on misty or wet days. I have the fancy professional camera "rain jacket" but the plastic bag is easier to carry and works just as well. Cut out a small hole at the bottom of the bag for your lens and use a coated elastic (the kind girls use for their pony tails!) to hold it around the lens. With this set up, your hands and head are covered as well. It may look a little strange but works like a charm!
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