What an amazing opportunity I was given to have my work exhibited at the International Wolf Center in Ely for an entire year! That collection is only going to be up for another five weeks. Have you seen it?
Being in between program directors at the time the show was coming together, gave me the chance to have a little say in which pieces to use, and how they might be arranged. I studied up on how to put something like that together, but truly it was the culmination of a number of minds coming together that brought the exhibit to life!
I did however feel strongly that the first image presented should be 47 Years. Though not the first image ever made, to me it absolutely represents the beginning.
More often than not, when I head out to photograph the northern lights, I am first greeted by a large green bow stretching across the horizon. Those are not usually the images shared, as they do not hold as much interest as many of the others that follow that night. But, if I went back through the years, there could be an entire album put together filled simply with green arcs stretching across the horizon.
This night was my parent’s anniversary. A friend took me out to show me one of her favorite spots to see the lights dance, and I was given the perfect scene to create what I felt represented this incredible day. I composed the image to have the trees on either side represent my Mom and Dad. The bow that connected them was their love that held them together throughout the years. The beginning of what made our family, and continues to hold us strong! I truly do feel blessed to have been brought up in a home with two loving parents. I believe by example they have shared their values of marriage, and to this day, they enjoy spending time with each other. In the grand scheme of life, having someone to love, trust in, rely upon and be loved by, has to be one of the greatest gifts one can receive. I am fortunate to have that kind of relationship with my own husband as well!
Later that night my friend and I went out onto the lake and tried to hold up the bow as it was rising higher in the sky. Not having taken many “selfies” in general, I asked her to go out and get into position. After setting the timer I would run out and stand beside her. Pitch black and not wanting to turn on my headlamp, I didn’t realize she decided to stand on a large mound of snow, making my arrival a face plant next to her as the shutter released. We laughed hysterically as we still attempted to make the shot happen!
Second try we completely missed the bow.. and as luck would have it, third time was a charm!
Perhaps I should create an entire album of bloopers and missed shots!
As this Aurora! exhibition comes to a close, I will share a number of stories that happened the nights the images in the collection were made.
