The Subliminal Trees
An Afternoon Walk in the Park
Last week, we strolled at one of our favorite parks during a lull in between storms passing through the Bay Area. This particular afternoon, the popcorn-shaped clouds seemed lower than usual, almost as if you could touch them.
I was in awe.
The sun intermittently peeked through the clouds. I noticed the subtle rise of the ambient light, its luminosity similar to light bouncing from a white or silver reflector. It waxed and waned as we circled the grounds.
There was a tree that we’d passed countless times. That afternoon, its presence made me pause. The gentle light revealed the graceful curves of its trunks usually concealed in the shadows on cloudless days. I only became aware of it at that moment.
“I have to take this picture,” I told Tina. I promptly walked towards it and captured the scene. Earlier, I spotted other nearby trees and felt a similar sentiment.
Back home, I looked at these photographs more closely and pondered these questions: How did I overlook the beauty of these trees when we’ve walked the same route for years? Was it only the change in the quality of light? or was there a change within me that made me pay attention? or was it both?
The words, alignment, synchronicity, and timing resurfaced adding a deeper dimension to the inquiry. The answers remained elusive and mysterious, but one thing I knew for sure—bearing witness to the transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary was magical.
What are your thoughts about this dear readers? And, let me know what you think about these images.
As always let’s meet each other in the comments section below.
See you all next Sunday!
From January to April, I am doing the Photography Curator Residency Program with Flipboard.
recently wrote this wonderful profile.On Curating Photographs: A Visual Journey
I began my Flipboard Photography Residency two weeks ago and so too was the lure into the abyss of looking at photographs. Once I entered this zone, my obsessive nature took hold of me. I gave myself a self-assignment to post a photo-a-day project on
If you would like to join me in this adventure, let’s connect:
Flipboard: StellaK2020
Mastodon: stellakalaw
Popcorn clouds! And their reflection! And the treeeeeeeeees - Stella, another delightful Sunday! Thank you so much.
I love trees. Great photos. And it's true, we often overlook things that are so familiair until all of a sudden they seem to Ignite a spark in our heads. Thanks for posting