People bring their own experiences to the interpretation of a photograph.
A photo of dried and curled mud suggests a desert environment, recent water, clay soils, and days of hot sun. But it tells you nothing about the photographer's experience. Not that it matters. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
The photograph above has a static subject but it suggests the passage of time. The dried curls of mud create interesting patterns that invite study, but they also tell a story.
The viewer can simply get lost in the exploration of the patterns, but she can also create a story that explains what she is seeing — a story of the desert and a recent rainstorm, followed by days of hot sunshine. A story based on her own experience.
But the photo does not reveal the experience of the photographer. In this case, it involved a long 4WD road trip in the desert southwest, followed by a challenging hike down a steep and soft sand slide into a remote canyon, disappointment at not finding the intended subject, and an agonizing climb back to camp in oppressive heat.
For the photographer, this photo was made as a sort of touchstone, a talisman to help recall the events of that stressful day. For the viewer, this photo may represent stillness and calm, yet contains the element of time.
A more complete description of the story behind this photograph can be found at the rommesarts.com blog page.
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