AGED # 2

In the winter of 2005 I spent a week in the Drakensburg Mountains to photograph a body of work entitled “Aged”. During that time South Africa was experiencing a drought and coupled with a harsh winter the dry conditions would help generate the look and feel I wanted to capture. After three days and without too many hassles, I managed to shoot two images with which I was happy, but then struggled to find one more picture to complete the series.

Every morning, before sunrise and then a few hours before sunset, I would leave camp and drive in earnest to find the final shot. Although I found other nice shots, the one I really wanted continued to elude me. On the last day I left even earlier, knowing that if I did not find the shot that day I would have to come back the following year. Later that morning, without success and highly disappointed, I headed back for camp. About a kilometer from the turnoff to where we stayed I spotted this shot just off the side of the road. I felt like the picture was placed there just for me, It was truly a God send. I find it strange that as a photographer I had driven past this shot for six days without noticing it. Sometimes I think one gets so caught up with routine that we forget to actually see. Of the three pictures this one is my favorite...I think you know why.