Trickle
Small Trickles - Cooleemee River Park

To yesterdays post, Paul Lester made a comment about my continuing to produce images from a particular location (Cooleemee River Park – Bull Hole) which got me to thinking.

I visit this area often as it’s local and has a small waterfall, rock formations and soothing running waters. I always take a camera but I don’t always make a lot of photos during a visit. There are days I visit and struggle to find anything of interest to capture, then there are occasions like this last visit when there seemed to be something of interest to photograph in every direction I turned.

While it’s true the cold weather and resulting ice may have added some additional attractions for my recent visit, the major difference between a photographically productive visit and a non-productive visit lies in my own openness to the possibilities at that moment.

It’s said the lens looks both ways, outward and inward. Sometimes the inward is open and cognitive — images, perceptions, visions merge and pictures flow freely. Other times, not so much. For me photography is a tool, a meditation, allowing me to see, understand and develop my own inner self.

I like I’m still finding new and interesting shots (at least to me) even if the location remains the same.

The rich earthen colors in this photo attracted me but my eye keeps being drawn to that one piece of ice on the right which looks somewhat like a nose. Maybe I should have titled this image, “sniffing the waters?” ;-)

7 Comments

  1. Looks like your nose is runny. :-)

    I like your statement, “the lens looks both ways, outward and inward.” I’m going to have to remember that one. I can relate as it often happens when I make those walks to Inniswood Gardens or Blendon Woods Park. It almost always amazes me what I find when taking walks around my apartments or back in Colorado around my condo. Show us more, Earl.

    • That statement “the lens looks both ways…” has been around for a while but I’ve always identified with it.

  2. We have a saying in Sweden that loosely translated goes “don’t get your nose wet”, and which means you shouldn’t interfere with what’s not of your concern. Not that this has anything to do with your image nor your post, but with a nose that close to waters I can’t help thinking of it. :)

    Keep look inward, I like the result. This image is almost abstract to its nature, and the colours in it makes me feel things without knowing why. Like an abstract painting, I guess.

    • Thanks. There’s a similar saying of “don’t go sticking you noise where it doesn’t belong” but your saying about getting your nose wet fits the photo. ;-)

  3. I love going back to the same place to see if i can rediscover a new angle a new look. A side project I have started is show the seasons in several locations.

  4. I like the tiny waterfall shot with the “nose.” Your comment is very apt (for me) in that I find it difficult to see new things in my immediate surroundings, but when visiting a new place there are all sorts of interesting possibilities. So, I must look … and look again at my local area. The “new” is there if I can’t only be open to seeing it.