But that doesn't stop me from assigning human characteristics to them.
Nancy and I recently took a self-assigned field trip to photograph fall colors in several western states. We spent most of our time in central Idaho and southern Utah. The aspen trees in the mountains of Idaho were in various stages of fall color, while the cottonwood trees in both states were at their peak.
Back at home, we processed our files and made preliminary selections for possible inclusion in the Iris Arts galleries. When comparing the candidate images, I noticed I tended to assign human characteristics to groups of aspen in several photos.
Aspen and Forested Mountainside. This large aspen tree starts as several close trunks and spreads like a bouquet. I loved the jade-colored conifers peeking out between the aspen branches, and I thought the aspen projected confidence, even in its nakedness. But I wonder how many people get this same vibe from the tree? Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
It is common for humans to anthropomorphize non-human things, so I didn't think much of it. Still, on further reflection, I wondered if people viewing the same photographs see similar things and, if so, how that affects their impression of the image.
Individual Life Experiences and accumulated biases subconsciously affect a viewer's impression of a photograph, as do many other things, including their current health. Since lived experiences and biases vary so widely, and mental and physical well-being is so often in flux, it is probably impossible to predict the impression any photograph will have on a given viewer at any given time. What I see in a photograph thus has more to do with me — my own Rorsarch test — and can't be generalized with any accuracy. That's the beauty and the frustration in attempting to predict what people (and buyers!) will see in our photography.
Aspen at Meadow's Edge. In this photo, I anthropomorphized the aspen trees as individual groups of people at a gathering — several different clusters engaged in separate conversations. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
This large clone of young Aspen seemed retiring and shy, projecting a feeling of calm and subtlety. Perfect, I thought, for a patient room, even a board room. But perhaps retiring and shy personality types don't inhabit board rooms? Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
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