DECODE: Transcend

"Transcend"

This is one of my earliest photographs, it's almost two years old. The inspiration behind the photograph is the same inspiration behind a lot of my work: to capture the beauty of the world. I'm fascinated by everything about our world; the colors, textures, light and shadow, animal and plant life, everything.

When I shot this I was out exploring a river during the beginning of Fall. Leaves freshly littered the river and the colors of the Fall were just beginning to show themselves off. What drew me to the scene above was the stark color-contrast between the leaf and riverbed. I composed the shot so it would look as if the water was retreating from the scene. The leaf serves as the subject of the photograph, appearing to fight against the current.

The title "Transcend" plays off this idea that the leaf is unaffected by the river's flow. It rises above the current and is untamed. I like to think this interaction between the leaf and river is something that can be applied to our own lives. It's a metaphor telling us be give our best; to rise above expectations or limits.

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Stay tuned for Part V, find the previous here. Share this post!

James Elliott