Five Frames

The Edges of a Day

There’s something tender about the edges of a day, the in-between moments when the sun slips low, the air cools, and the world seems to exhale. These minutes never last long, but maybe that’s what makes them feel so rare. The light softens everything it touches, turning rugged peaks into silhouettes and quiet ponds into mirrors.

Beauty doesn’t always shout; sometimes it whispers, and only those willing to pause will hear it.

We often chase the high points, the summit, the view, the goal. But it’s these transitions, fleeting and fragile, that linger longest. The edges of the day simply unfold and invite us to be still enough to notice.

A Tip - Learn the Land

Understanding a place makes you a better photographer. Knowing when wildflowers bloom, how the light shifts through a valley, or when storms roll in over the peaks helps you anticipate moments instead of stumbling on them by chance.

Behind the Capture

For this shot, I was drawn to the contrast between the yellow flowers in the foreground and the cool blues of the sky and reflection. That tension of color felt like the anchor of the image. 

I also wanted the sky to play a role, not to dominate, but to hint at the slow drift of the clouds and the way they mirrored themselves in the water. The mountains became the backdrop, stretching across the frame so they felt more distant as the eye moved from left to right.

But like most captures, there are things I wish I had done better. I was balancing awkwardly with my camera stretched out and down in front of me, and in the moment, I didn’t notice the details I should have. The flowers aren’t centered the way I intended, and the tall stem cutting into the frame feels distracting. 

That’s the reality of working in a less-than-ideal spot: you make the best of the position you’re in, knowing that the imperfect frame still tells the story of being there.

A Thought

I’m stealing this passage from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, and simply replacing “write” with “photograph”:

"Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to photograph; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to photograph. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I photograph? Dig into yourself for a deep answer."

Would you still photograph if there were no social media to post to? 

If no one else would ever see your work, would you continue making images?

A Quote

“The eye should learn to listen before it looks.” — Robert Frank

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