Can I Photograph This Word?

I got to thinking about how words are used to describe art; for example: reflective, serene, quiet, energetic, moody, and more. But what if I tried to flip that and try to find/capture photo art that fits a word? In this post, I'm going to see if I can. I decided it needed to be a bit challenging so I'm not using everyday words, such as those mentioned above.

My first word for this challenge is 'coddiwomple,' which is defined as "traveling in a purposeful way toward a vague destination." My husband and I coddiwomple frequently. Sometimes, he'll ask me which direction out of town I want to go, and we'll drive that way without a specific

The historic Drennan School near Ellicott, Colorado

destination, but with the goal of discovering new images. Some time back, I wanted to go east, so we coddiwompled toward Ellicott, and happened upon the Drennan Schoolhouse,

Campsite near Antonito, Colorado

one of the first multi-classroom schools in Colorado. Built in 1917, it was designed to handle grades 1 - 12, and its raised basement floor plan meant it could accommodate the cook/caretaker along with four teachers downstairs. Its first high school graduation was held in 1922. The school is on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.

At other times, we have a general destination in mind, leaving the details of the route, how far we'll go, stops along the way, and where to stay somewhat vague; however, I don't have a cool word for doing that. And then there are the times that we get to approximately where we were planning to go and something comes up to change it at the last minute, as happened when we found the campground in this photo. (There might be a word for that circumstance, but all I could think of was 'adaptable.') I loved the tall cottonwoods and the old buildings we found next to our campsite, pictured above. On that trip, our plans changed multiple times due to closed campgrounds and the beginning of an unrelenting rainstorm caused by a tropical

"Impending Storm"

 storm's remnants.

Another word I'm fond of is 'ombre' (not to be confused with Spanish, 'hombre,' for man). It literally means "shadowed" or "shaded" in French, and describes when a pattern of colors or tones fade into one another. I think the scene pictured here fits the word nicely.

I don't enjoy trying to capture fall colors in the San Juan range because of the numbers of tourists and leaf peepers who travel through looking for their 'money shots.' This day was cloudy and chilly, so there were few people at this particular overlook, and I liked how the post-processing worked to emphasize bright colors fading into the storminess over the mountains.

One of my favorite words ever is 'serendipity,' meaning an "unplanned fortunate discovery" (frequently applied to scientific discoveries). It dates back to a Persian fairy tale from the 1300's that was first translated into English in 1557, titled "The Three Princes of Serendip." I read the story in a VERY sanitized and child-friendly version in my early teens. It portrays three princes who are sent by their father to gain life experience and develop virtues suited to future kings. Their adventures lead to several happy accidents due to the wisdom and sagacity of the princes.

"Tiled Wall, Detail"

One of my own 'serendipitous' photos is "Tiled Wall, Detail," showing tiles inlaid on a stucco wall that surrounds a house in New Mexico. The happy accident was to drill down into the

"Rainy Day Mood"

image and crop out a lot of what I'd photographed, finding this view in the process. The original was too busy and included too much extra detail; the crop (for me, at least) brings the tilework to the forefront.

Then there are my photos for the 'pluviophiles' among us: "someone who loves rain and rainy days, and enjoys the sights, sounds, and smells associated with rain" (me, ME!). "Rainy Day Mood" (above left) was taken along the Conejos River near Cumbres Pass in Colorado, and I like the feeling it gives of a scene found just outside a cabin window or covered porch.

Fall colors drive on a rainy day

This scene at the right, along with the semi-abstract view of rain on the windshield (below), combines the idea of being a pluviophile with 'wanderlust,' or "a strong desire to rove or travel about." Honestly, I often feel like going for a drive when it's raining or snowing. I might have my parents to thank for that because a deeply embedded memory fragment includes me being in a car on a rainy evening, and watching the lights of other cars through raindrops on the windows. The memory is somewhat like the photo at right, where the raindrops are the main focus and the highway is just an impression

Raindrops on the windshield

vanishing into the distance.

I suspect I've gone on long enough, so I'll finish off this post with a little color and 'whimsy,' which means "capricious humor; or an odd and fanciful notion." My whimsical image is of a 40-foot blue bear sculpture, titled "I See What You Mean" by sculptor Lawrence Argent, and found outside the Denver Convention Center. He's looking in through the windows, as if wanting to join the people inside while not understanding why he's been excluded. He's a

"I See What You Mean"

 much friendlier sort than the infamous blue horse sculpture nicknamed "Blucifer" near Denver International Airport.

I hope you agree that the photos I selected help to illustrate these words adequately. Let me know in the Comments, or feel free to email me at the Contact link.

As always, my photo art is available for sale through my website Shop Art link. I'm available to answer questions, discuss sizing and placement ideas, and help you to find exactly the right images for your spaces. Please don't hesitate to reach out.

Looking forward for my next post inspiration to strike now that springtime seems to be approaching!