naturewalker.com Blog

Every since I was a child I have felt a certain binding to the natural world of which we all are part of. I can remember those simple times as a youngster, exploring the woodlands of my neighborhood, seeking its secrets and marveling at it’s treasures. I can remember wading in spring fed creeks hunting crayfish and salamanders, feeling the cold waters swirl around my ankles and feet. Many warm summer days were spent exploring the tall grasses of local meadows and being amazed at the hidden worlds that existed among the wildflowers that swayed in the warm breezes of that season. Those moments imprinted my soul with a deep and binding affection for the fragile threads that weave the intricate web we call nature.

I realized recently that as an adult in a world of modern technologies, where the push of a button or the speed dial of a cell phone seemingly controls our lives, that we as human beings are losing the ability to connect to those ties that bind all of us to our natural surroundings. My interest in nature photography taught me to see things in new and exciting ways, yet too often I find my field trips to be dominated by the technical aspects of photography and the desire to capture the “perfect image”, and in so doing the true beauty of nature slips by unseen.

It took several recent springtime walks in the woods for me to realize that by trying to look too hard for photographs that I had truly stopped seeing nature. I pondered this as I walked and soon I felt my mind relaxing and I began to be not a recorder of images, but a part of nature itself.

I could feel the soft tingle of the breeze on my face that awoke forgotten memories and the sweet smell of honeysuckle suddenly seemed stronger and more pronounced. I saw sunlight filtering through the branches of hardwoods, each laden with new foliage, to dance on the forest floor and wondered why I never noticed it before. Looking carefully among the branches of a small tree I spotted the delicate tendrils of a trumpet vine, its red and yellow blooms swaying to the rhythm of the breeze. Bird song seemed to fill the air and echo among the trees and I caught myself not aiming the camera but instead peering through dappled shadows and rustling leaves to try and find the songsters.

A small stream flowed from some mysterious and hidden spring and the muted sound of gurgling water seemed to blend with the whispering sigh of the afternoon wind. I watched as dragonflies darted along the water’s surface, their iridescence flashing in the rays of sunlight that penetrated the woodland canopy. Among the leaves and vines that wove intricate patterns along the forest floor tiny butterflies flitted and danced as if playing hide and seek with the shadows.

All of these images, sounds and smells assaulted my senses as I continued my walk and I realized I had not taken a single image with my camera, yet I felt more rejuvenated than I had felt in a long time. I could feel my creative senses stirring and I began looking closer at every turn of the trail wondering what new mystery the woods would reveal.

As I journeyed further I found patches of wild geraniums and spiderworts scattered around the trunks of hardwoods, each blossom swaying and moving with the rhythm of the breeze and for the first time my camera came out as images and compositions formed in my mind. This time instead of the feeling rushed to “grab a shot” I took my time, looking closely at every bloom and leaf and in so doing discovered new details I had never seen. Compositions formed in the viewfinder and as I began taking photographs I found myself scrutinizing every angle of light and shadow and exploring and seeing the subjects in new ways.

Further continuation of my journey revealed the flash of color of a woodland warbler or the chatter of nuthatches and chickadees among the trees. The humming of a bee and the barking of a gray squirrel sitting on the stump of a tree all seemed clearer and more distinct than I had remembered. I was now in tune with the environment and for the first time in a while I felt accepted by nature itself, as if my presence here was no longer a nuisance or a threat, but instead an equal partnership.

As I watched, whitetail deer moved silently through the undergrowth, their heads turned to watch me as well and I realized that I too was part of the forest and that I had learned to see as nature had intended me to see it. The walks in the woods had returned something that I had nearly lost, the ability to see the world and all its beauty and in so doing it renewed my spirit and soul.

Take the time my friend and go for a walk in the woods and let your senses go free and experience all that nature has to offer us. Nature is as much a part of us as we are part of it and I believe for us to understand our relationship with the natural world we must first learn to see and experience it’s true meaning. By doing so we will fill an essential part of our role as caretakers of this world we call home.

Click on the first image below and enjoy the slide show.

Blue Flowers	Chipmunk	Dragonfly on Reed	Dwarf Crested Iris	Female Cardinal
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	Gray Squirrel	Spring Beauties	Maple Seeds	Male Blue Bird
Trumpet Vine	Cedar Waxwings	Little Wood Satyr	Louisiana Waterthrush	Native Azalea
White-breasted Nuthatch	Viceroy Butterfly and Leaf	White-tail Deer