Summer Light
Midsummer solstice has come and gone. Usually, I like to commemorate the day with a small ritual in nature or simply spending the whole day outside, but this year was a little different albeit well spent eating pistachio gelato in Sicily so I think it still counts for something! What I love most about these midsummer days is that they can be both lazy, and languorous, yet equally filled with vitality, a fresh-faced outlook, and joy for life with a renewed sense of purpose and direction. The power of sunlight I suppose. Most mornings I rise before or with the sun, ground my feet in the grass, and soak in the first rays of soft light. Even as a child, in the summer months, I’d leap out of bed and dash straight outside into the garden, never mind getting dressed or brushing my hair. Our summer days were always spent outside on the farm. At the end of the day, we’d come in around 9:30 when the sun goes down. And the state of our feet was atrocious; bright green from the newlycut lawn with patches of dirt ground in. It took a good scrubbing in the tub to get them clean(ish), to say the least.
As I got older and I dabbled more and more in photography, I’d have the same enthusiastic spirit to sprint out the door to catch the sun peek over the horizon, illuminating my mother’s peonies, lupines, and roses. Summer is the time of the year to squeeze every bit of daylight out of the long, glorious sun-drenched days. This natural cycle is part of our DNA as humans. If you have ever lived in a cold, damp, snowy climate in the winter, you fully understand the near-impossible task of waking up before 8 am or not dozing off at sunset for a winter’s nap at 4 pm. Starting our day with the sunlight sets our circadian rhythm and grounds us with nature. The solstice marks a seasonal shift that all living beings adapt to. I find these golden days invigorating and spark creativity. It’s a funny thing because while I simply couldn’t be bothered to fold the laundry or any house chores, I have so much energy from creative projects. It’s like the sunlight recharges my creative batteries leaving me rattling and humming to begin something new, something purposeful.
This post isn’t about photography necessarily, but a small encouragement to make the most of these beautiful days in whatever brings you joy. Maybe it’s waking up before sunrise and taking a drive to a scenic spot to finally capture that vista you always wanted to shoot, or creating a visual diary of all of the flowers you’ve grown in your garden this year, or setting a new goal or giving yourself a challenge letting the vibrant summer spirit support you along the way. Whatever it may be, what would bring you the most joy in your photography right now? What would refuel you? How can you make the most of the light of this season? And quite literally speaking, summer light comes in so many forms…the dappled light across your freshly picked tomatoes, the soft glow as it lowers behind the hills, the bold and bright statement light call it of the mid-morning sun on your cup of coffee. Why light are you drawn to at this time of year? What kind of light captures the essence of summer to you?
Summer is a season of light. Embrace it and let it nourish your soul and creative spirit in all of its restorative ways.
Alanna
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