SUNLIGHT AND SHADOWS
Light and shadows catch my eye wherever I go, but they are more distinctive when I travel. It could be that taller buildings cast stronger shadows, more trees filter the light, or, as I enjoy contrast, the interplay between dark and light becomes even more captivating. Thus, glints of light caught my attention while wandering around Madrid. Shadows crept up ancient stone walls, or sunlight danced and fluttered between dying leaves.
This fascination made me wonder what the draw is. Is it the blessing and curse of those with a photographer's eye to always be aware of light or the lack thereof? No, my draw to the light and the shadows comes from this ever-growing understanding of the world. I constantly ponder why some people are considered good or in the light, while others are deemed bad and cast into the shadows. My son recently asked me, “Are cops good and criminals bad?” At first glance, it seems like a simple question with a simple answer; we would assume that upholders of the law should be good and breakers of the law should be bad. But oh, in this world, life is not that simple. I then asked him questions in return: “What if the law is a bad law?” Another idea was, “What if the profession of the police officer is good, but the person upholding it is bad?” You see, it's more complicated than I originally thought.
This conversation led to the example of the law against interracial marriage. If the Lovings of Virginia had not won their case, people like my parents could not have married, and I would not exist. Even if I existed, I would not have been able to marry my husband, which would mean my kids would not exist. Needless to say, my kids were mesmerized by the idea of nonexistence and took a mighty strong stance toward their determination to exist. But in the end, the couple broke the law. They were called out and put forward for punishment. They were considered criminals. Does that make them bad?
I do not always think of such stories when walking along a new road or weaving through a foreign city. Yet, quite often, I reflect on life’s complexities and how each of us holds both light and darkness within. No one person is entirely bad, and no one person is entirely good. The question is not about who is good or bad, but rather who chooses to do good despite the fact that the road to destruction is easier. It is easier to succumb to despair, fear, and hatred than to embrace hope and love. Hope is not simply a scene of tranquility, but the will to look beyond chaos and fear and see something worth living for. Love is not rosy, filled with poems and sunlight. It requires hard work, demands effort, and can drain the spirit. The idea that love hurts is not new. Yet, love persists despite the harrowing darkness and the most terrible deeds. It is intertwined with a richness that shines within that darkness. Hope, likewise, resembles a candle lit in a darkened window or moonlight emerging from behind the blackness of a storm cloud.
The beauty of being creative lies in constant evolution. I would not be the photographer or writer I am today without hundreds if not thousands of terrible photographs and countless pages that nobody should ever see. Behind those embarrassing examples of inadequacy are lessons that no textbook or teacher can convey. There is some understanding and education that can only be found in experience. As I reflect on my photos and notice a slight recognition of my interest in the contrast between sunlight and shadows, I acknowledge the my limitation and photos taken with a hesitant hand. As I grow in experience and travel more, I imagine this interest in contrast will continue, but with more intention and, hopefully, with greater boldness.
(1) Precious trees casting shadows against the Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2023
(2) Filtered light on the door of a Jewish Synagogue. Toledo, Spain, 2024
(3) Light cascading into the Sculpture Garden at the Louvre. Paris, France, 2016
(4) Dappled light near a barred window, near the Royal Palace. Madrid, Spain, 2024