Strand was extremely philosophical and this commonly led him
to observe nature in a different stratosphere than many of his cohorts in
photography. Strand expressed an enlightening quote that stated, “The thing I
see is outside myself---always.” * This quote speaks volumes in the sense that it
was obvious that Strand’s abilities to excel through decades of change in
photography and that even to this day his portfolios are enamored over by
thousands. His brilliance all started with his critical observation skills and
in today’s society of social media, filters, and Hi-Tech cameras you have to
set yourself distinctively apart from others. It’s important that photographers
today start recognizing how the world around them works, by studying patterns that
nature and mankind gives you. In those moments that go unnoticed to untrained
eyes, it’s in that split second where someone can go from being an average
photographer into a savant like the late, great Paul Strand. Discontinue seeing
through a natural “lens”, and that is when you will truly begin to see! One
work that is an example of beauty in the natural is his image Iris, taken in Georgetown, Maine. This
gorgeous image was an examination of the leaves of an iris plant that was
located in the garden of Gaston Lachaise.
When viewing this image, one witnesses the precision of he composition
as if it were “right in your face.” The curvature of the leaves gives the
photograph movement and brings depth to the rich tonality found in the veins of
the leaves. Although it may seem trivial in today’s society, I believe that it
is important to note the immense clarity and intensity in this photo.
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| Photo Credit:http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/269807 |
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