Light Observation!
Saturday 18 February, 2012
Central Park
Around 4:30 pm
My friend and I are walking from the north end of the Park, the sun setting over the roofs of the skyscrapers that make up the New York skyline. Because the sun has only just decided to set, the shadows it casts are from a rather high angle. As we walk along one of the paths heading in a general southward direction we pass by and under American Oaks. The trees cast shadows over and around the path we’re walking along, weaving in and out of our way.
The spindly branches of the close-sown oaks overlap to create a web of shadows, reaching out towards passers-by in an attempt to chase them. The grooves and pockets in the tree bark are cast in relief against the trunks, giving a startling amount of depth to the natural contours of the trees. They actually look kind of lonely. Their branches are reaching out towards people, trying to bring them in, but are only scaring them away by being too frightening. They attempt in vain to find some contact, any contact, but their efforts are foiled by none other than themselves.