Red, Gold, and Green by Chipka
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Description
In my photograph, “Flourish” I focused on berries of some mysterious, possibly alien species of plant: alien to me, at least. This is the same decorative tree, from a less-intimate distance. In “Flourish” I was taken by the redness of the berries and the darkness of the background, as it revealed itself on my camera screen. This is the view that dragged me—oh so willingly!—into a closer examination of the berries.
I’ve always been one to perk up in the presence of vivid (and complex layering of) color. Needless to say, in walking past this decorative foliage, I perked up. It was a cold day. It was an overcast day. Chicago was gray, dingy, and a bit ragged around the edges. The neighborhood through which I walked was neat and clean enough, but there was nothing to inspire my trigger-instinct. Until I saw this.
Something inside of me stirred: something ancient and perhaps even pre-verbal. I felt what I saw, and for a brief moment (perhaps only one beat of the heart) I thought of the season of Yule—the maypoles, the dancing, the music blown through ocarinas carved from goat’s horns. I thought of the lively worship of the Goddess and the God—Mother and Son in perpetual, repetitive balance. During the pagan season of Yule, one offers thanks for flags, fodder, and flax…one embodies the colors of life in brilliant reds, gold, and green: colors, I have learned, that bear intimate relations to life, blood, and comfort. Random city foliage triggered thoughts of these things, as I walked through my old neighborhood.
In reviewing this photograph—prior to posting it—I’m struck by the elemental nature of it, as may be recognized by those of the Wiccan faith. The Five Elements are present: one by default, the other four simply because of synchronicity. I’ll leave a bit of challenge in this and not point out Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. I’ll not belabor the pagan symbolism and it’s relation to the pentagram—a venerated symbol to me—but I will say that the five elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Spirit) are subtle presences here, and if you can find them and plot them on the points of a pentagram (or pentacle, if it isn’t inscribed on paper), it might make you smile. Such an act/ability is nothing important, however, but I suspect that it is ultimately what went into the making of this picture.
I haven’t bothered to identify the berries and the plant on which they are found. I like not knowing. I like the pretty colors…and that’s enough for me, and I hope that in some way, others may see (and perhaps feel) what I saw (and perhaps felt) at the moment this photograph was taken.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend.
Comments (21)
Pierrot_Lunaire
Wonderful capture!!
durleybeachbum
Fabulous!! I know exactly what you mean.
blankfrancine
Lovely colors in this capture!
myrrhluz
Beautiful color, contrast, and light! I love the pale branches, their angular limbs thrust out from the blanket of leaves. They seem to be dancing a wild dance to celebrate the harvest, and remind the Earth that spring will come again. Wonderfully rich colors and detail. Excellent capture full of life and intensity.
Sepiasiren
this picture just screams Autumn--a perfect tribute to the "death" of leaves...
MrsRatbag
Rich and lovely; the berries scream "harvest time" to me, and all that that entails, in whatever religious context you might care to view it...wonderful shot!
auntietk
I love the pale branchs against the vivid russets of the leaves and the dark green of the background foliage. What a great shot!
Erestorfan
Beautiful leaves and berries! I'm sure that some birds shall reap the bounty of this tree during the cold winter months to come. I found your info intriguing. I have a friend in the UK who is Wiccan and she has told me a bit about it. I know this has a somewhat religious meaning for you, so I hope you don't think I'm making light of that or making fun because that is NOT my intention...but last night I was looking through my favorites at YouTube and one of the videos I had saved is Culture Club's Karma Chameleon...and part of the chorus is 'red gold and green'....now that song is playing in my mind, LOL.
bmac62
The feeling is mutual...don't know much about the elemental nature of things but the color layering is all there. I came. I saw. It conquered:)
RodS
Lovely fall colors, captured beautifully, Chip. The color here in Missouri aren't as nice - mostly shades of muckle-de-dun brown....
kgb224
Stuning capture my friend.
lick.a.witch
Lovely that you doff your cap at Paganism and the Wicca world. Mind you, I am slightly biased! ^=^ Beautiful image - plus a nod at nature for telling us in one plant what winter holds... ^=^
marybelgium
wonderful photo colors lighting !
flavia49
fantastic image!!
Orinoor
Everything one needs to know about life is in nature; the red, gold and green of our lives is right there in your photograph.
makron
Very good shot.
sandra46
EXCELLENT IMAGE!GREAT TO SEE!
danapommet
Beautiful autumn colors Chip and the berries are a great addition. Dana
KateBlack10
Beautiful color - I love the way the red, orange and green work together. Very nice.
beachzz
I don't like the colors of fall at all, but dang, these are simply amazing. Maybe it's the way you caught all the various plants, but this simply shouts out to me--wow!!
praep
Beautiful.