Exploring Abstract Textures in Nature Photography
When I was younger man, my first car was the most important thing in my life. I used to spend my evenings and weekends meticulously washing and detailing my first love. Like clockwork, every spring beginning in late April I would obsess over the amount of pollen that would be on my car. You see, this car was (is, I still have it) black, and would turn a disgusting shade of green. Pollen was my enemy.
Lately, I don't usually give much thought to those tiny green spores—until this series of photos changed that. As the trees surrounding our lakes release their annual pollen, the water’s surface becomes a canvas, collecting the fine dust. Hospitality Creek, the stream that feeds our lakes, ushers this pollen gently towards the shore, forming what most dismiss as mere pond scum. I’ve witnessed this phenomenon before, but it never really captured my attention. However, that morning, as I took the photos, I saw something new: intriguing textures and abstract shapes within the mass of pollen. It was as if nature had painted a scene just for me
Over the past few years, I've been increasingly fascinated by the idea of painting—a pursuit I've often promised myself I'll explore someday. I'm just waiting for the right moment to dive in. This longing has unmistakably influenced my photography, and I can see that in these photos. I find myself captivated by textures and abstract forms rather than traditional scenes.
While capturing these images, I was irresistibly drawn to the textures, seeing beyond mere lake dirt to the artistry beneath. I'm really proud of this set of images and am eager to create more. The experience was exhilarating; the ever-changing winds and currents constantly reshaped the scenery, presenting new compositions every time I looked through my camera lens.
We often conceive of landscape photography as capturing vast, grand vistas—scenes that the public generally recognizes as beautiful. This notion sometimes restricts our creative expressions, confining them to widely acknowledged beauty spots for photography, painting, and other forms of art. I continually remind myself that nature also unfolds on a diminutive scale, sometimes just a few microns thick. Beauty isn't reserved for the expansive; it thrives in the minutiae too.
