Peripheral Vision by jasontheaker One of the most rewarding joys of landscape photography for me is way it catalyzes calming, almost elementally humbling feelings. When in such locations as this shot, (Flambrough head at low tide) I feel profoundly immersed in nature and genuinely emotionally centred. It just feels ‘so right’ on many different levels. (Sorry to sound a bit like a new age eco warier so early in this post, but even the most emotionally hard street photographers amongst you, should just try at least once placing yourself in such environments to see how it feels…)

Anyway, not only does this environment help me feel calm and centred, but the very act of photographing it, offers the added caveat of immense exhilaration. Putting oneself into this dynamic environment, at dusk, at the very edge of acceptable safety, dodging waves, wading just that bit too far out and second guessing the incoming tide, has the stimulating ability to sharpen the mind. Let’s not forget dealing with the anxious feelings knowing that you’re mobile is out of signal and any form of human insurance left hours ago. Let’s not stress either, about the long slippery walk over wet seaweed encrusted rocks back to the car in the dark, (unless of course you slip within the tidal range), but your most probably going to end up alive in the morning.

But just reflecting for a moment, I’m sure that I wouldn’t make the considerably arduous effort and experience the feelings of excitement and anxiety associated with pushing oneself to the edge of acceptable risk, if I wasn’t doing it for a photographic reason. In part, it’s the very risk taking itself that inspires the deep humbling feelings of connectivity with the natural surroundings. I wouldn’t be doing this, (or experiencing what I am) if it were not for the fact that I am attempting to record the feeling photographically. Yes I could connect with my inner calma and tune my sharks in other ways and do yoga overlooking a setting sun to really connect with the oneness of nature, (believe me I’ve seen people doing it) but I wouldn’t be pushing myself towards feeling this unique type of exhilaration. It would be a little strange to be there at dusk sometimes a little too deep in choppy seas, really observing the natural rhythms of nature without having a reason for looking. The desire to seek out this in our environment, even with camera gear strapped to my back, has actually helped catalyse a deeper feel a oneness with the environment. It’s as close to a meditation experience I can admit to here in public. Anyway as I said, there are many reasons for my photographic obsessing, but in part anyway this exhilaration is often overlooked as one of those justifications.

Now turning to this shot in greater depth, the range of subtle colours generated in this location amazed me. Flambrough is fundamentally white chalk cliffs and this does wondrous things to the reflected and refracted light, especially in the water. Light just bounces around, even when there isn’t much around, creating much more depth and range of colours. With this particular evening the sunset didn’t really materialise, (shame as the previous evening there was a speculator dramatic light show but for the sake of my marriage, I only saw it through my peripheral vision) but in a gritted teeth mature way, I’m kind of glad that I ended up here on this evening. It offered me the opportunity to appreciate the subtler more calming experiences. Something that as I get older I’m enjoying much more, who knows I may even put the camera on timed release next time and adopt the lotus position to record my tree hugging development.http://flic.kr/p/6zo9PU

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