are you Here, or are you Lost?

acacia-desmondii-leaves — Acacia Desmondii leaves in early morning light

LOST

Stand Still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you

Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,

And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,

Must ask permission to know it and be known.

The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,

I have made this place around you.

If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven

No two branches are the same to Wren.

If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,

You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows

Where you are. You must let it find you.

-David Wagoner

In my 365 Photographic Challenge, I have renewed my love of Alice Springs, Australia and nature– especially for trees. Reading David Wagoner’s poem, I think I know why. It has helped me know where I am.

Not lost.

Here.

Eucalyptus trees lining dry Todd River bed.

bark layers of a ‘Paper Bark’ tree.

Eucalyptus and MacDonnell Ranges in early morning

Corkwood in late afternoon light

Eucalyptus with MacDonnell Ranges in early morning

Lonely tree along rocky coast in South Australia

Giant Ghost Gum in late afternoon light

Early light through the Tea Trees

Morning light in winter

Lichen on tree in South Australia

Laneway in winter light

Having an Ansel Adams moment

Eucalyptus trees, with Corkwood tree blossom in foreground.

Corkwood tree at sunrise

Ghost Gum and friend.

16 responses to “are you Here, or are you Lost?”

Francesca

Nov 18, 2015 at 11:08 pm

Looking longingly at all these beautiful images, I am also ‘there’ and for a few moments not ‘here’. You have inspired me to go wandering at the magic hours of dawn and dusk. Although all so beautiful, I love the one of the Corkwood tree at early sunrise.
Are you still using your phone to capture these moments?

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ardysez

Nov 19, 2015 at 12:55 am

Thanks so much Francesca. I’m so happy my wanderings have inspired you! Yes, my iPhone is my only camera, as has been the case for about four years. The camera has gotten better, and so have my skills so I remain happy! x

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EllaDee

Nov 19, 2015 at 4:29 am

You are most fortunate to be Here, and there, in both senses. In return you are generous in the inspiration you share. To me, that’s grace.
Since I began blogging I have had this quote
“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one.
Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own.
It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.” Paulo Coelho
on my About page. It opened my eyes to the miracle.
Courtesy of the #snapsydney Instagram event yesterday I opportunistically persuaded the G.O. to join Instagram (telling him I couldn’t publish his pics via my account). He enjoys your photos, and has a good eye. I’m hoping it will reconnect him to Here and the miracle of each day.

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1. ardysez
  
  Nov 19, 2015 at 6:59 am
  
  Thanks so much Dale. Lovely quotation Coelho has brought into consciousness, and you in turn shared. I’ve just been writing an upcoming post with some similar ideas in it. So happy to hear the G.O. has joined Instagram. Only today a friend was saying to me how important it is for a photographer to have a ‘good eye’. I wonder if it is something one can learn or if you’ve either got it or you don’t? Send me the G.O.’s Instagram name in the private messages box–I’d like to follow him.
  
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  1. EllaDee
    
    Nov 19, 2015 at 7:29 am
    
    Thank you. That’s lovely… he’s just followed you. Let me know if you don’t see it.
    I think a good eye, like artistic ability can be cultivated and gets better with use but maybe also in some cases like singing, dancing ability there are lost causes… me, re the latter 🙂
    
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davidprosser

Nov 19, 2015 at 6:43 am

Some staggering shots Dale, especially in your treatment of them. I’m thinking of No. 6 looking at the cliff top.They’d look fantastic on any wall.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx

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1. ardysez
  
  Nov 19, 2015 at 7:01 am
  
  Thanks David. A few people have asked me what I will do with all the photos I’ve taken this year and I have no idea. I’m not sure it is important that I ‘do’ anything with them. The journey has been the important part for me. xxx
  
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Food,Photography & France

Nov 19, 2015 at 9:03 am

Beautiful set of pictures….

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1. ardysez
  
  Nov 19, 2015 at 9:21 am
  
  Thank you Roger, much appreciated.
  
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Littlesundog

Nov 20, 2015 at 1:52 am

Stunning photos, Ardys. I often photograph trees, though I rarely post about them. They’re such a solitary life form… even in forrests and woodlands, and so majestic. I am amazed that your images are from an iPhone! I used mine recently and the images were a complete flop! I know it is because I have rarely used the iPhone. Most of the time I use my DSLR and zoom. Your work is impressive!

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1. ardysez
  
  Nov 20, 2015 at 7:01 am
  
  Thanks so much Lori. I’ll give you a little iPhone tip…don’t ever use the zoom feature. You will get better results by taking a regular shot and then cropping it later. The zoom feature randomly edits out pixels across the entire frame, whereas if you crop it yourself, you are only deleting pixels you don’t want. Having said that, it is just not a good camera for shooting wildlife, so don’t even bother with it unless the wildlife is sitting in your lap! You’ll notice I have very few animal photos and the ones I do have were pure luck!
  
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  1. Littlesundog
    
    Nov 20, 2015 at 12:42 pm
    
    Well that says a lot right there! Even with the DSLR and a zoom, much of the time it’s just pure luck to capture a great shot. With wildlife one does not have time to react or to fool with camera settings. You made me feel better! I thought I was just inept at iPhone photography! 🙂
    
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  2. ardysez
    
    Nov 20, 2015 at 8:10 pm
    
    Not at all Lori, try some other subjects with your iPhone and see if that gets a better result. Also, do you know about the hold/tap to focus function? It will get your subject into better focus and create a shallow depth of field effect. Open the camera and just tap your finger on your subject and hold until you see the AE/AF Lock yellow square box appear. The focal length will then be locked in that place until you lightly tap the screen again. See what results you get with that. xx
    
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sara

Nov 20, 2015 at 9:26 am

Not lost, here.
So beautiful, Ardys.
All those wonderful trees – I never associated trees with Alice Springs!
Xo

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1. ardysez
  
  Nov 20, 2015 at 9:28 am
  
  Most of the trees are from here, but a few are from our travels in SA. Thanks Sara.
  
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  1. sara
    
    Nov 20, 2015 at 9:31 am
    
    Yes, I saw the SA ones. Still 🙂
    
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