Stories about the art

For many photographers telling one’s F-stop, and speed is how they portray their story of an image they managed to record. That, indeed, is the technical side but for me the true story about the atmosphere one’s senses pickup of the day tells much more. Outside the weather plays the most dramatic of all roles.

I readily admit I’m inspired by Turner, and van Gogh. When I take a photo I approach the process as if I was engaged in painting a watercolor on rice paper, for these watercolor artists cannot redo their work. Each time they place the brush on the paper they take the risk of not knowing what the result may be. As a photographer I need a level of risk- the risk of never knowing if your timing is in sync with that of nature.

People viewing the work usually have wonderful things to say about what they see in the work. They often tell me personal stories of what an image reminds them of. Some of them have asked me to tell my stories behind some of the lightgraphs. They have told me that some of my stories have given them inspiration and a deeper understanding of art. Honestly, they just are stories. Here are the photos, below is the link to the story.

If you’re interested please click on the title below and the link will connect you to the story. Thanks!

• An Independence Day story of Ramona du Houx’s Summer Stroll and how Water became Fire
• The story behind Oak Maine
• The Magic of ships inspires in the story of Sails
• A Crop Circle Discovery 
• The story behind Journey and Lift-Off
  
• Wild Lilies become Earth Bound Angels
• The story of Japan’s Golden Temple’s Tree Heart photo
  
• Sunflower Rays  story of life
• Ice storm beauty merges with the snow in a dance with a photo by Ramona du Houx
• The Zen peace of Maine’s Western Mountains depicted in Ramona du Houx’s images like Purple Mt. Majesty
• In one’s own backyard spirits can dance as they do in Ramona du Houx’s art

 

Another question has been how to group the work. Nature is complex yet incredibly logical. In order for science to understand this complexity and to discover more about the natural world they developed categories, aware that many subjects would overlap. I’ve attempted to display my work with the following categories to add insights:

People, animals, birds and new dimensions—

How we interact in our surroundings, becoming a part of wherever and whatever we may be associated with is key to my photographs of people. How much do we carry where we are with us, how much do we disregard this? How much do people who surround us influence us, or us them?

Sometimes new dimensions open as one follows your soul instincts with a clear head. Often that’s when discoveries can be made. Shapes, objects and the unexpected can come to life. And new questions arise. Is what we perceive real? What doors of perception can the camera open up?

Painting with the camera helps me to explore the simultaneously harmonious and strained relationships between animals and the natural world and the similar relationships between animals and their fellow kind. It also allows me to artistically investigate the complex manifestations of personality that we as humans project upon animals, and that they intrinsically possess.

Birds represent so much in our cultural histories; freedom, strength, liberty. They also predate human existence and are related to dinosaurs. With grace these ancient avions keep watch on human activities from the air. What they mean to us is an ongoing discovery and discussion I’d like to have.

Cityscapes and monuments—

The way that manmade cityscapes reflect glacial movements or undersea coral reefs has always fascinated me. Is it by design that our cityscapes resemble mountains of granite, carved from the ice age? Rock and coral reef patterns emerge as I paint cityscapes with the camera. This curious relationship has led me to wonder about our relationship to stones large and small.

Some artists work with stone to create monuments and buildings that are designed to inspire generations in our democracy. For me they come alive, in revealing mysterious ways, with the interaction of people who visit them.

Landscapes and seascapes—

Painting with the camera can create the sense of being personally close to an object through colors, textures, memories, and the seasons. With a landscape that’s exemplified because of their never-ending vastness that somehow surrounds us in an embrace. For me landscapes inspire contemplation, and patience. That and the sensation of being at home, welcomed by nature’s warmth.

Our bodies consist of the same proportion of water as the earth. We are creatures of the sea. The draw of the ocean has been written about time and again. There is something more vast and more mysterious about the sea than anything else on earth. It’s something similar to the vastness and mystery of the universe itself. Our planet is just one in our solar system which is connected by the vastness of space. Is the relationship we have with the ocean a microscopic reflection of the relationship our Earth has to space?

Abstracts: lightgraphs—

Through my Lightgraphs I hope people make discoveries.

There are no boundaries in nature, with everyone and everything interconnected. Where a river stops cannot be defined, nor can the end of the sky. In my lightgraphs no objects have clearly defined borders as they merge their core essences together creating visual abstracts of light. In some cases the images resemble microscopic images, as if the core elements of what is being photographed has emerged to be recorded. It’s my hope that with these elements revealed the viewer has an opportunity to discover something about the natural world representational photographs cannot convey.

Waterfalls and trees—
When the ice age carved out our landscapes dramatic shifts occurred. Some were sharp, steep transitions where waterfalls were created. For me the energy from the ionizing water as it cascades over a waterfall clears my mind so I can look at challenges afresh. The rush of water awakens something deep within the soul. In my photographs I hope to convey that excited rush of creation with a balance of where the earth now resides.

Stability, strength, integrity: words we use to describe trees. From our most ancient texts trees have become symbols for people to find strength in.

How they reflect human nature, throughout the seasons, inspires me. Painting with the camera depicts their resiliency while commotion surrounds them. They remain more defined in the photographs while their surroundings have a swept away look. For me that reflects the strength of the human spirit.

Reflections—

Society moves at an ever-increasing pace; with cell phones and text messaging many people don’t take the time to look around them, to reflect. There is of course a time and place for these technologies, there is also a time and place for contemplation. Nature provides pools of wisdom in reflected objects if we take the time to look.

Then we will see other reflective pools that are man made. Taking a moment or two to find stillness coupled with a rush of discovery energizes me in a balanced way. With these images I hope others will find that solace.

How people interact with the ocean, from feeling at one under sail with the winds at the back to simply watching waves lap the shores, transmits a calmness, a wholeness. That peace is something I wish to convey in my work.

Flora—

To take a photograph of a flower is obvious. To show the energy and light within that flower and how it relates to its surroundings is always the challenge. Viewing these flowers allows us to think more about life. The images can calm, excite or balance our souls by taking us away from our daily routines.

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