© 2020 Romi Boon All Rights Reserved
Don’t you think it’s absolutely wonderful when a photo can bring back a special memory, or a touching emotion? This photo does that for me; it reminds me to be thankful of our amazing world, and its tranquil beauty (which I cherish so deeply). It too reminds me that I'm getting older and that the 25 kilometers that my friend and I trekked that day, was a bit much (lol)! Mount Revelstoke's trails range from short, to long, to steep and tough climbs. They too offer some spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding glacier mountains, tall alpine trees and lush meadows surrounded by wildflowers. Bear warnings are often in affect here, as they were on the day we hiked. This photo is of Eva Lake, one of 3 lakes in the area. Notice, that in this photo, I chose not to include the mountain's top and sky (though it is in the original). I often have to remind myself that it’s okay to crop out the sky. In this shot for example, had I included the sky, it would have fought for your attention; your eye would have been drawn away from vertical cluster of trees (which is my intended point of interest). Also, although there's a lot of "wasted" space on the left side of this photograph, it does add balance and strength of the point of interest. *To date, this is my most memorable and favorite hike; well worth the effort!
This could be anywhere but on this particular day, while hiking alone through a meandering path (near Valemount, BC), I was reflecting on freedom and boundaries. I was here, in my RV, free of all my regular responsibilities, free to do whatever I wanted, and free to roam wherever my feet would take me. As the trail meandered, I reflected on the value of freedom, responsibilities and boundaries and concluded that we need recognize these, our human needs. Now when I look at this photo, I'm reminded that life is like this meandering trail; there are boundaries for us to follow yet we're free to meander. It was a welcomed break for which I was thankful. That said, I was also very thankful I didn't encounter a bear (which I did on a later visit!).
We visited beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park (in Utah), in 2015. Having never been there before I was in absolute "Awe"! We were lucky to arrive on a sunny day (after a snow fall) and everywhere I looked the colors seemed saturated. I happened upon this view and knew it would make an amazing abstract. These colorful pinnacles are called “hoodoos”; they’re eroded limestone, some of which reach 200 feet (60 m) high. They extend for more than 20 miles (30 km), from north to south within Bryce Canyon National Park. We purposely arrived early for this photoshoot; when the sun was still relatively low and the shadows were strong and long. Together, it made the vivid colors of the hoodoos strikingly vibrant and the contrast separated some of the columns. “Oh wow”, we remarked (thrilled and with complete amazement). It was chilly here, on this February day (at 9000 feet above sea-level in February) but I was so fixated on getting (these) amazing shots that I forget how cold my hands were! *See the other Bryce Canyon photos. I named this photograph, “The Hoodoo Expressway” because the pillars remind me of people, whom appear to be making their way through the canyon's exit, in the far-off distance.
