‘Look beneath your feet.’ ~ Zen Buddhist proverb

I have long been fascinated by ideas of connectedness expressed in Eastern philosophy, and its attempts to transcend dualities through both art and poetry (particularly with haiku and haiga traditions), alongside its concept of the beauty of the blank space. I love the Zen Buddhist question, what is right before your eyes? Such deceptively simple curiosity cuts right to the essence of art, not least photography! I take long walks in nature with a camera and notepad. I feel a connection to trees and water – from the stretch of countryside and ancient woodland running along the Teign Valley where I grew up to where the river meets the sea in the coastal town of Teignmouth (where I live). I am drawn to a sense of mystery, unity and tranquillity alongside the Japanese concept of ‘ma’ (negative space) and how emptiness forms an integral part of the subject. I take a notepad with the intention of complementing each picture of various scenes, sketched through the written word laying the basis for a haiku or poem, which sort of mirrors the technique of shooting an image in RAW before post-processing.

Bridford Wood

shadows cast over
leaves and twigs on woodland path –
the afternoon sun