In Praise of Shadows
April 11, 2014
“Were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty.”
— Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, from In Praise of Shadows, translated by Thomas J. Harper and Edward G. Seidensticker
Shadows on snow, the road to Rachel Lake, Minnesota
” . . . we find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates.”
— Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, from In Praise of Shadows, translated by Thomas J. Harper and Edward G. Seidensticker
The stark bare trees in the Minnesota landscape were strikingly beautiful. They cast dark shadows on the snow. At times the shadows looked like the tree roots made visible.
Tree shadows on snow
Sun through bare trees, my Dad’s woods
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April 11, 2014 at 5:06 am
This is one of the views of northern winter I always loved, and rarely see. People seem more inclined to photograph pristine snow, or great piles of the stuff. These are beautiful photos. Thank you.
April 11, 2014 at 7:21 am
Love shadows, and I know it is true as an artist…shadows make a painting…love also the shadows cast by trees at night when there is a full moon…so wonderful.
April 12, 2014 at 6:29 am
Moon shadows! Yes.
April 12, 2014 at 12:22 pm
My daughter’s middle name is Moonshadow…seriously. 🙂