My Darling, What If You Fly?
Overcoming fear is a common theme that shows up in my work time and time again. It's one of those emotions that can often stop me in my tracks, keeping me from moving forward in the direction of my dreams.
I find it fascinating that I can stand at the edge of a cliff, a couple hundred feet above, sure-footed, and confident. I know my feet are firmly rooted on the ground.
But, it's those other moments, when the risk of rejection is high, that the fear monster inches her way into my psyche.
It's rather silly. I'm talking rejection, not impending death. If only words rolled off my back like water on a duck. Unfortunately, they have the tendency to linger a little longer.
But I do it anyway. Despite the fear. I do it anyway.
That's where the magic happens.
***
“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly?
~Erin Hanson
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Behind the Scenes - My Darling, What If You Fly?
This piece was created during my trip to Namibia. An old ghost town, called Kolmanskop, was a dedicated stop on our route and what I was most looking forward to it of all the places we would visit.
The town was an old diamond mine from 1908 up until about WWI. Complete with a hospital, school, bakery and even bowling alley, the Germans occupied this place until the diamonds ran dry. Hearing of discoveries further South, they packed up everything leaving this small town deserted.
Mother Nature has since attempted to reclaim it. Located about 15km from the Atlantic ocean, the winds blow strong, allowing for sand to come into these houses, creating a eerie, but strangely beautiful landscape.
I had the most fun creating this piece. This particular house sat a little high off the ground, but that didn't stop me, positioning myself at the ledge and kicking both legs off the ground to simulate the sensation of flying.
It was an exercise in timing, as I had my camera set on my tripod, snapping the shutter in 3 second intervals. After about 100 frames, I declared my work done. Tired from all the jumping and grateful I didn't accidentally launch myself out the window, I moved onto the next house.
I took more than 1000 photos in Kolmanskop alone. About a 5th of the entire trip in Namibia, which lasted 15 days.
It was such a fascinating place. The land that time forgot.
The ripples of sand throughout each of the rooms presented the perfect backdrop for my surreal landscapes. I could've spent days milling around.
Just me and my tripod.
Until next time.
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