Thursday, October 21, 2010

In Complete Contrast

There is something about the contrasts found in nature that strikes a chord deep within me. Whether it's textures, colours or environment it matters not as it always causes an intake of breath & puts a smile on my face.
Sometimes it's a matter of looking beyond what one was originally focussed on in order to see those contrasts, or perhaps just look a little deeper to realise that they are there.

Photographs, no matter how well they are taken (& mine aren't great on the best of days) always fall short of the reality. Perhaps it's just me, but they lack the dimension & depth that was enough to cause that first intake of breath. They do, however, serve as a great way to remind me of those moments.

These two Rhinoceros Iguanas at Australia Zoo captured my attention while they were enjoying an afternoon spent basking in the (incredibly bright & warm) sun on a rock.
Their skin had the appearance of dry, thin parchment & they seemed to belong in an arid environment.

To look further & see the wonderful contrasts of sub tropical plants, in particular the stunning green rounded softness of the Elkhorn Fern directly above them, struck that chord within me.



Info on these beauties: The Rhinoceros Iguana is native to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and The Dominican Republic) and several surrounding West Indian Islands. These iguanas live in areas of open scrub, among rocks and cactus thickets. They can also be found in dry forests to subtropical moist forests. This species is primarily found near coastlines.

1 comment:

angelinabeadalina said...

Your photographs have given me some very nice views of your part of the world, as well as your travels, and I have to tell you they are GOOD! I do know what you are saying about photography still not being able to capture the complete essence, though... and realizing it is a wonderful way to spark your memory is pretty profound, ya know.

While I was slacking on the blogging this summer, I was learning something very related to your discussion of the contrasts in nature. Sweating through Midwest humidity, which has almost always been my least favorite seasonal treat, I came to realize I no longer have a favorite season of the year... ALL of the seasons have their own fascinations, nuances, and contrasts to be appreciated.