I was set to write about the ‘Sense of Wonder’ which I am experiencing through the eyes of children. Had all sorts of images in my mind, with great metaphors and amazing perspectives. It was going to be a great piece, really.
When the mail came that day, the September issue of Real Simple filled up the box. Dang it. On page 188 was the fashion outlook for fall…”It’s all about clothes that feel good: A Sense of Wonder.” From page 188 through page 199, the feature focused on how textures and materials give a “…touch of comfort…a touch of luxury…and altogether breathtaking.”
At that point, I sighed heavily. How could I possibly write my own ‘sense of wonder’ now?
The photographer had chosen marvelous landscapes with rustic structures, weathered wood barns, and long low landscapes under a brooding sky.
He had selected bales of pale golden hay, dark ancient conifers, and a slightly blurred road that faded into a gray distance.
In short, the photographer picked out scenery that mirrored my thoughts of ‘wonder’. He sought a mood in the wonder of a lonely land, and captured its beauty. The model was exquisite, as models usually are. This understood, this particular elegant lady revealed quiet intelligence and subtle emotion.
The new styles and designs in velvet, nubby wool, and silks were made gorgeous, and given depth because this lovely young woman made it so. Clothes on a hanger could not look so rich.
Her eyes actually reach out to the reader, making contact with us, telling us…telling us what? I don’t know, but I cared about her thoughts and her reactions to the incredible environment surrounding her. Each photo was a story waiting to be told, a past aching to be unfolded.
Of course, I understand that the resulting successful photographs arise from coexisting talents of both the photographer and the model. But I am at a loss to understand this:
whether the environment merely framed the model and her garments (making her even more beautiful),
OR
if the model with the very beautiful fall couture assisted the endless, moody landscape to give me pause, and to feel a sense of wonder.
I don’t know. Maybe it's the old "chicken and the egg" dilemma. What do you think?
