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Monday 2 February 2015

Coniston



This is a photo of Coniston Water taken from a lakeside position below Brantwood, formerly John Ruskin's house. 

As you see, there is nothing much to it apart from some water and a jetty with hills in the distance. Yet somehow the light on the water made it worth a photo. If I'd turned my camera away from the light, the water would have been a dark mass, cold and uninteresting. 

Yet what does one say about a common enough sight? And if we do say something, do the words mould the picture or does the picture mould the words? Both presumably, but for me there is also a stillness which needs no words. Too easy to say too much. 

One of those contemplative scenes, easy to gaze on while thinking of nothing in particular.

4 comments:

Demetrius said...

Is that Sir Malcolm Campbell coming up on the left?

A K Haart said...

Demetrius - it could be, should I have waved or something?

Scrobs. said...

Or as Damon Runyon might say 'A good place for thinking of not much'!

A K Haart said...

Michael - perhaps Ruskin chose the location for that reason.