The spirit of place is not just the way a place looks or how beautiful it is.
The Spirit of a place is the combination of many different energies: air, water, colors, trees, rocks, buildings, animals, people, history and light.
Aaaaahhhh… the Light! As a photographer, I am in a constant search for the light.
Have you ever noticed how different the light can be just 100 miles down the road? Sometimes just 50 miles.
Every place has it’s own unique light that is almost a trademark. Yesterday I was watching a movie which was officially set on the East Coast, but I knew from the light that it was filmed in California, and the end titles confirmed that.
I haven’t been everywhere, though I plan to continue exploring extensively, but some of the places that I find have very distinctive light are: San Francisco and the Bay area, Egypt (especially Karnak), Waimea and Hapuna Beach on the Big Island of Hawai’i, Porto Venere in Italy, Wales, the Vienna Woods, and Sedona in Arizona.
This beautiful, precious planet of ours, that is so alive and vibrant with Mana (Hawaiian for spirit, life force), has so many uniquely beautiful, magical, powerful places and I intend to get to each one that calls to me. I intend to explore, bask in the beauty of nature, meet the people, taste the food, take lots of beautiful photographs and share it all with you, both in stories and practical information, through this site.
Do you have a special place that you feel it’s magical, where the Mana is especially strong, or that has meaning to you even if you don’t know why? If you do, please let me know in the comments, as I would love to hear about it.
