A stand of conifers shows signs of a recent forest fire. Do the charred trunks impart a feeling of loss and sadness, or do the few fresh green boughs communicate a sense of renewal and optimism? It depends on the viewer's circumstances.
Backlit hemlocks are charred after a quick-moving forest fire in the North Cascades. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
When I photographed this stand of trees, I was attracted to the graphic nature of the vertical tree trunks and the muted, harmonious colors. A short telephoto lens was used, and I photographed from an area that had not been recently affected by fire.
At the time, I didn't think much about what, if any, feelings the photograph might communicate to the viewer. Instead, I concentrated on composition, color, focus, and exposure. However, when it came time to upload the image to Iris Arts, Nancy and I needed to decide whether it met the evidence-based criteria for display in patient rooms. We decided it did not and put it into the Corporate Art section.
I thought the scene was lovely, and the feeling it imparted was positive. I interpreted the green branches as an indication that the stand of trees had withstood the challenge of the fire and was quickly recovering. In other words, I saw hope and optimism.
However, others would have interpreted the scene differently, and understandably so. We all have our own life experiences and accumulated biases, and each of us views a photo through the filter of our current mental and emotional state. All those factors influence the feeling we get from a photograph — if we get any.
I was in a pretty positive place then and interpreted the photo in that light. But someone who recently lost their home to a wildfire will undoubtedly have a different interpretation and receive a different feeling. And if that same person was also hospitalized with an illness, well ...
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