Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Essence of Star Island...


...is the many Random Acts of Spontaneous Joy you can find here.  Kim Manley Ort asked the participants in our contemplative photography retreat to ferret out the essence of Star Island.  I chose this image which I made on Saturday evening of a couple dancing in the gazebo at sunset. 

   You see lots of these moments here on Star.  Like people sitting down at one of the two pianos and playing for the sheer love of it.  Or listening to soft voices singing long after chapel services were over.  You can witness these spontaneous moments every day.

   Finding the essence of a place is vital if you truly wish to say you know a location.  Summertime Star is this to me.  Wintertime Star is, of course, a whole different place as I've come to know through the photographs of Alexandra de Steiguer, more about her next week.  Seek connection to the landscape by searching for the essence of the place and you will begin to understand...



4 comments:

kimmanleyort said...

Funny, I am doing the final edits on my post on Star Island and one of the qualities I talk about is spontaneous joy (with a similar image). I still feel it!

Patricia Turner said...

Yes, its hard not to be influenced by the feeling on Star. I felt it the last time I was there, last year, and there it was again to greet me. It is a very special place, I'm sure you will agree.

Janice Koskey said...

Your essence photo is, well, the essence of the weekend on Star Island with its joyful people, lush skies, and it's star atop the gazebo!

Patricia Turner said...

This is what it is for me, the people make the island during the summer. I believe it becomes something else entirely in the winter. i would love to experience that as well.