I am inspired by the recent features on Lenscratch, Flowering in Photography, especially the pictures of weeds by Jin Lee in her series, Prairie.

My husband and I walk the trails of Spotsylvania Battlefield most days of the week, but I rarely consider this location a source of photographic potential. The landscape feels wild and messy, and I have a hard time figuring out how to see in this place. I feel connected to the landscape and yet resistant to its untamed nature. I’m honing my perception of this natural beauty. I’ve found a big part of my ability to take pictures here involves the time of day of my visit. I thrive in the early morning views, just at sunrise, when I am the only person in the park. The quiet settles my mind. The breeze alerts my senses. The fog wraps itself around me without pretense or judgement. The sweet fragrance of honeysuckle feels like falling in love. And I am present to witness it all. This experience rights my mood, setting me straight, orienting me toward gratitude.

 

I wonder if every picture we take can be viewed as a way of coping with fear, a strategy for seeking safety. We worry and sometimes we feel helpless, all with good reason. We become hypervigilant, scanning our surroundings for signs of danger. Sometimes the signs are within the larger world and sometimes they are in our own homes or hearts, but either way they leave us exhausted and hurt. What would we do differently if we weren’t afraid?

Winnebago | Locust Grove

Dreams of travel and adventure. The open road. East coast to west coast. Not one RV but two. Parked, going nowhere. Trips long since complete? Or miles still to go? Either way they represent some mode of escape, some means to relieve pressure. Designed to be homey but not at home. An invitation to discover a new version of ourselves. Or maybe to recollect the youth we threw away.

Location: Richmond, VA

Date: May 2022

Remarks: Exploring abandoned homes ready for tear down. Looking outside in and through and all around (but not inside out). Chasing light and shadows and reflections. School bus driving by was sheer luck.