Nearly all of the Portals exhibition photographs feature trees. As such, a word or two of explanation seems warranted.
Why trees and what is their significance to me?
The renowned woodworker George Nakashima notes in his book The soul of a Tree:
‘Then, when I am there, feeling at one with the trees and space around me it’s easy to feel the trees with soul.
A tree sits like an avatar, an embodiment of the immutable, far beyond the pains of humankind.’
At times, when alone with them, I sense the trees with soul. Some trees speak more clearly than others. When in Western Sweden I’ve discovered that Scots Pines (Tall in Swedish) abound. They’re special trees that typically hide deep within forests on small rocky outcrops. Here are a couple images of one of my favorites situated ‘like an avatar’ in its own space.
Äsperöd Gnarly Tree (Tall)
Äsperöd Gnarly Trees
I’ve frequented this particular tree repeatedly in the autumn season. At dusk the illumination traverses the woodland capturing the boughs in a kaleidoscopic array of fractured fragments. Here it’s evolved into a somber portal: spanning the forest floor. Prompting you to stand beneath it.
Äsperöd Sunset Archway
But it’s most effective to photograph it when the sky is overcast or just after the sun has set. That is when you capture the images to help convey its essence. There’s no distracting contrasts to divert the eye and it manifests as a colossal entity with limbs extending lofty overhead.
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Äsperöd Tree Being: Waiting
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Or, and this last picture is my preferred, it’s proffering you to traverse between the aged exposed tree stumps as it anticipates – poised, balanced, nearly expectant – for you to come before it.