People first, said the human to the mountain. Our relationship with nature is not as we often see it.
Susan says, “Most photographs taken from commercial airplane windows are pretty awful. Here’s an exception. Coming and going from Portland by air is an adventure as the plane weaves through the volcanic mountains that dot the northwest. This is Mt. Hood, still snow capped in mid-summer, snuggly nestled under the graceful wing of the plane. I hope I have the opportunity to use this photograph in a presentation. I’d use it to talk about the relationship and conflict between man and nature. Although we understand that the mountain dwarves the plane, the perspective here turns that relationship on its head with the wing of the plane seeming to dominate, even subdue, the mountain. There are many ways, today, that we seem to have forgotten our position in the hierarchy of the natural world. We assume we are in charge and have the first and last say. Not so.”
Lucia says, “I have taken many photos of Mt. Hood from an airplane window. Some are spectacular with the setting sun turning the mountain pink with an alpine glow. This time I noticed that we were at an interesting angle that if captured at the right time would create a compelling photo. You’d be surprised how fast things change from a small airplane window. So I had to move quickly. I could tell that at the right moment the wing would look as if it were hovering over the mountain to mirror its triangular shape. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I would like the result because to me the important element in this scene was Mt. Hood and having a man-made element in the frame would ruin the landscape. The result is not so much a landscape but a study in shapes and repetition. This goes to show that a photo can be used to be an inspiration for design, as well as, used to express an abstract idea, as Susan has described above.”
