"River Of Light"   [Reflections on Chris Orwig's Book Visual Poetry - Chapter 3:12 ] (John 1:6-9; 1John 1:5-7; Genesis 1:1-5 )

Time was I stretched my mind around the photon,
A particle of energy or wave?
But now I find I’m thinking more of a river,
Of changing colors photographs can save.

At least they can if we grow in awareness,
And use that knowledge making photographs;
For knowing all about that changing river,
Can shift the photo’s mood ’till people laugh.

For color’s time-related, links to memory –
Of early rising; catching dawn at camp;
Of breakfast on the eastern rocks of island;
Of sleepy kids; and parents – morning damp.

With color, there is nuance in our pictures;
There’s subtle shades in shadows we’ve not seen;
There’s color in reflected light around us,
A muted version of the light that’s been.

Emotions mix like lower part of iceberg
(An image often used – subconscious mind),
And color’s all wrapped up in our emotions,
Unless, of course, the viewer’s colorblind.

Which raises “tone” as best part of my photos,
In darkroom days of subtle black and white;
“Pre-visualize” I learned from Ansel Adams,
Zone System helped to make such pictures right.

For color is translated into “tonal”;
Control in hands of those of us who knew
Equivalence, and how to shift with filters,
A power-tool in craftsman’s hands, which grew.

For light is always changing in awareness,
If we tune into light within our space;
Though shifts are handled now with software action,
Awareness still continues as its base.

Thanks Lord for this.

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