I thought I’d post another photo from our trip through the Canadian Rockies this past summer. The photo itself is pretty mundane since it lacks dramatic lighting or a clear foreground subject, but the scenery is spectacular. We were driving up one of the very curvy roads to a glacier and stopped at one of the “scenic overlooks” along the way. It was easy to be blown away by the view. Beautiful scenery doesn’t necessarily translate into beautiful photos, but I do feel like this photo portrays the grandeur of the mountains reasonably well.
That particular day was quite memorable. We had just hiked to a spectacular waterfall, and then drove by a black bear eating berries in the woods right next to the road. Later in the day, we added moose and elk to our list of critters we’d encountered. And of course, the scenery was just fantastic everywhere we went. In other words, it was a day filled with memories.
As a photographer, it’s important to be able to separate the image from your own memories. This image evokes memories for me, but other viewers won’t have my memories – they only see the image. The challenge for a photographic artist is to communicate emotions that you want the viewer to feel even though they won’t have your memories. Hopefully, when you look at this photo, you’ll be struck with the rugged beauty of the Canadian Rockies.
