Cutting into New Experiences!

 After the last few weeks of talking about the meaning of nature through different authors' lenses, I was excited to spend this class seeing it for myself! Our class this past Wednesday made our first trip to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge and got to put our knowledge and skills "to the test". We were tasked with using pliers to cut through an invasive plant species called the Chinese privet which had grown and rapidly spread all across the outskirts of a bison territory so we as a class and team were determined to serve and help in any way that we could. 

Through this post, I wanted to share three things that I learned from this experience! The first thing I was thinking about was this idea of accessibility that we talked about in class. On one hand, we were cutting back an invasive species for the well-being of the refuge but on the other part of myself couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for cutting back such a beautiful and healthy plant. According to my faith, I believe God is the ultimate creator of everything in this world and part of it feels like sometimes why would I want to take away or cut back His creation? But in addition, I had to consider and take into account why were cutting back the plant species with the intention of preserving and restoring this refuge so it was hard to sit in the question: which thought is better? Which do I agree or disagree with?

The second thing I learned from this experience was the power of teamwork when it comes to change! I know it sounds maybe silly or straight forward but after looking around and seeing all that our class was able to accomplish in just a few hours was quite incredible. It was also great to see how everyone had their strengths and weaknesses (physically or mentally) and so when I fell short or did not feel strong enough to cut a branch of the plant away, I had one or two teammates standing beside me consistently encouraging me and spurring me on. Reminds me of what we talked about in class with Edward Abbey as well and that some change can be done in an aggressive or maybe extreme manner while others can bring unity and change with peace in mind. 

The last thing I learned was how to use pliers! I had not used them except maybe once or twice at home if I helped my dad with plants in our backyard and I have to say it was quite the experience. Definitely took some time to get used to how to cut the branches back with these new tools but also an experience I am extremely grateful for and will never forget!

Those were a few of my thoughts and lessons that I wanted to share from the experience but overall truly enjoyed it and am excited to see what other ways we get to serve as a class and community. Also, I can not take credit for this last photo (Rachel Ba's picture!) but wanted to share a sweet photo of this little guy that we saw throughout our adventure!

Wandering at Land's End

 I have always been an admirer of sunrises and sunsets. Rising with the sun symbolizes to me the start of something new and exciting because there is an endless possibility in what a new season or even that day can hold. But sunsets to me are a time of reflection and gratitude for all that the day or season has brought; ultimately changing me from who I once was even that morning. The photos I have selected for today's blog are from near my home at a beach called La Jolla where my mom and I did a little stay-cation while I was home over the summer. And I have to say my favorite part was watching from our hotel room in silence the sun going down and my mom and I letting our thoughts wander. 

The first photo I captured is from our walk down the hill towards the ocean which includes a bit more detail and subject in the photo. Between the cars, buildings, and palm trees you still as the viewer feel connected with your typical surroundings and almost excited as you see the sunset peeking through the back of the photo. I was trying to make the subject of the photo still be the sunset but also capture the beautiful scenery around it to give the viewer the choice of what to focus on as it feels like we are moving closer to the main subject. I think from a photo study perspective the angle of the street moving downward toward the ocean and the boardwalk at the bottom makes it feel like there is motion and movement towards the ocean without physically seeing the movement of the photographer. 

The second photo and my personal favorite was when we were sitting down at the bottom of the hill at the end of land and just staring out towards the continuous ocean. It reminds me of what we talked about in class regarding the Edward Abbey passage of him staring over the edge during his exploration and thinking about the "fulfillment of nothingness". That is similarly how I feel about the endless and vast ocean where it is so large and extensive yet at the same time seems to eventually reach "land's end" and go off into nothingness. I also appreciate the motion and movement that the waves highlight in the photo up close but also the farther you look out into the photo the less movement and more stillness you see. 

I think it is important that we as people still experience and have the places that give us the perspective to see "nothingness", For myself, it reminds me that the world is greater than I am and truthfully any struggles or hardships I am facing at the moment are minimal compared to the greatness of the creation and its Creator. I think the perspective is humbling and a space I want to continue to go back to because it keeps my head and heart in check and allows me to "zoom out" from the daily thoughts that seem to cloud my judgment or peace. I think it is rare like we said in class to have places of complete silence or stillness so I think if we can find our own places in this world that allow our minds to wander and be still, that is a pretty beautiful thing. 

Capturing the Details

Since starting this class, I have begun to see my perspective shift when it comes to the pictures and moments I try to capture. As we have found through our readings and discussion thus far, a lot of how we interpret things like nature or flowers can be based on our experiences as well as the detail in which we capture the things around us. The readings we discussed last class regarding "Luther Standing Bear" reminded me that how one interprets what is before they depend on their prior experiences or knowledge so as we read about the Native Americans, they saw nature to encapture beauty and something they unify with whereas the White Settlers saw the nature to be something that could be destroyed or changed due to previous exploration. 

With this first photo, I wanted to capture this space with that in mind of "what are my prior experiences that contribute to my choice to take this photo?" This first photo reminds me of home as I tried to capture the boats hooked onto the dock at the lake just like they do in San Diego. I also tried to put the subject to the right of the photo this time to offer a different way for the viewer to "focus on the details" as we learned from the chapter called "Drama of Details" in the Conservation Handbook reading. I love how this chapter highlights that what you focus on as the photographer is a way to tell a story in hopes of the others who view your photos to have a similar appreciation for the subject you try to capture which is what I tried to do through this photo.

The second photo was captured by utilizing the ".5 lens" on the iPhone which is one of my favorite new ways of taking photos because it expands the perspective and viewpoint from which someone can see what you are trying to capture. I love it because if I am really trying to remember a place that I went to, it is a cool way to try to incorporate a lot of your surroundings that hold a memory. I think this photo in addition differs from the first in the sense that it allows the viewer of the photography to see for themselves what captures their eye rather than focusing on a specific detail you want them to see. 

This experience and intentionality I set for taking these photos really reminded me of the power of perspective and how much it can vary from person to person. What may be obvious or important to one person can really differ from how another sees a photo but that is honestly the best part about photography too in my opinion. It is about uncovering their story and hearing their experiences to allow us to understand more about others' perspectives, and more about the person themselves. Perspective has a unique way of setting each person apart but also has a hand in bringing people together if we just stay long enough to ask. 

A Little Bit of Home, Wherever You Go

Being from San Diego, California, there really wasn't much of my childhood that I remember not being outside. Even in our very own backyard at home, we had a huge grassy field with bike paths interweaving throughout it so as a kid I could ride my bike round and round our backyard with my siblings until our parents called us in for dinner. In addition, our family lived fairly close to the beach so my mom would often buy us all Subway sandwiches and pack me and my siblings in the car for yet another beach day. I have always loved the outdoors not just for its beauty and peace but also because truthfully each time it brings me just a bit closer to feeling at home wherever I go. 

One of my favorite areas in Fort Worth that reminds me the most of home is the Trailhead by Clearfork shopping center just 10 minutes up the road. I often come to the trail for food by Pressed Cafe, to read a book, to go for a run, or walk and listen to a podcast. On this day that I captured in the following photos, I was doing my best in this nature observation to really unplug and be mindful of the things around me. I put my phone in "Do not disturb" mode and did my best to be mindful of all my senses in order to see the area through a fresh and unique lens. 

The first photo I captured reminds me a lot of what the Conservation Photography Handbook by Boyd Norton defines to be as texture. The slight ripples in the Trinity river from the wind that day really capture in my mind the three-dimensional aspect of this photo and also highlights the aspect of motion in nature. I think many times photographers can capture stillness which also offers peace and tranquility but I have to say growing up with the waves in California, I really resonated with the small ripples and movement in the water in the photo. 

The second photo and honestly one of my favorites highlights the sun just peeking through the trees. I truthfully think since I was just walking and being mindful of the things around me I was able to catch this timing of the sun through the trees which honestly I found so beautiful. I love how later in the Conservation Photography Handbook chapter the author highlight that each picture tells a story and I believe that each story can be interpreted differently depending on each person and their past stories and experiences. But for myself, this picture reminds me of a large sycamore tree my family and I had in the back corner of our backyard when I was little and the sunrise on our side of the street used to peek through just like this picture. 

It never fails to amaze me what pictures or places or moments can instantly bring you back to a memory or experience. This nature observation specifically taught me to continue to be mindful and take inventory of what is around me because you never know the places you will go when you take the time to pick your head up and look.