‘Ebb and Flow' is a Calming Abstract Photo Series Featuring Water
-
Loading... - Petar Tomic
- 02 Jun 2022
- 267 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
As someone who grew up surrounded by nature, landscape photographer TJ Thorne has found water photography, in particular, helps him reach a flow state experience during mental health struggles in life.
Finding Solace in Nature Photography
Thorne spent his childhood in rural Pennsylvania. His backyard was full of forested land which allowed him to be playful and free. He climbed trees, wandered trails, and played in creeks.
But, as he became older, the carefree nature of his younger years was soon swapped for numerous challenges. Among them were some that were more common and expected as part of adulthood, like going to work and paying bills, and others that brought him to his knees, like depression, anxiety, worry, stress, alcoholism, and self-loathing.
But it has been this wondrous and peaceful part of the natural world that helps Thorne bring some serenity back into his life, combined with photography. Back in 2012, Thorne noticed the playful light on water and started to photograph it, but it wasn’t until 2017 that it became a conscious practice and grew into a project, “Ebb and Flow.”
“The shooting of my water abstracts is driven by a need to fully immerse myself in the moment and get lost in my viewfinder,” Thorne tells PetaPixel. “Photography is primarily a tool for me to detach from the world and the stresses and struggles I face in order to find peace and solace. Disappearing into my viewfinder when photographing water is the epitome of this process.”
For Thorne, water is a versatile and ever-changing element that helps him reach a relaxed flow state. During this process, he deeply focuses on the behavior of the water and its visual attributes, like reflections or direct light. Read More...
