A collection of aerial photographs from a helicopter ride by Bird’s Eye Helicopter Tours between Newport, RI, and Westport, MA on July 5, 2011, to see them from the air. (There is a newer experience of the same)
The photographs are meant to be and should be taken as a photographic fishing expedition. I did not have specific places in mind when the trip started. All I wanted to see was patterns, created mostly by nature, and capture my spontaneous response to them. What you see are the photographs I caught, the artistry of nature grouped into sections: Hand of man, Shoreline, Salt Marshes, Swirls, and The Water.
The slideshow below is set to music by Dunya, Inc. (Used with permission.) I chose the music because they seemed to follow the idea of clarity and texture as the photographs do. The main instrument is Çeng (pronounce as Cheng) and the sound that comes from its strings resembles, at least in these pieces, water dripping on a crystal. The rhythm of the pieces reflects the texture of nature in the photographs. I hope you enjoy the show.
Hand of Man
This group of aerial photographs presents shapes, forms, textures created mainly by the hand of man. The artificial elements create counterpoints to nature’s creations, thus contributing to the overall structure of each photograph.
Shoreline From Newport to Westport
Where the water meets the land creates an ever-changing boundary. Even when captured at a fraction of a second speed, the shoreline offers a dynamic presence. This group of photographs focuses mainly on this boundary and the elements that define the shoreline.
Salt Marshes from the Air
The moving shoreline due to tidal forces interacts with the environment to help create salt marshes. This transition zone between saltwater and land is populated with halophilic plants that not only tolerate salt but thrive in that environment. In time, the plant coverage becomes too dense for the tidewater to recede quickly and creates a friendly environment for mosquito larvae. To speed up the drainage, the Army Core of Engineers cut drainage lines that contribute to the formation of interesting patterns.
Swirls
The tidal movement of water through intricate land boundaries and marshes helps to create swirling patterns on the sand and shallow water. The resulting patterns are mostly the work of nature except where human touch introduced new elements like piers that affect the fluid dynamics.
Water
The water of the ocean, its surface, and shallow shores may look significantly different as the angle of view changes. These photographs study the change and the nature of the water as seen from high above. Some of these photographs are of the same area on the water but may look a good deal different, at least in color.
Infrared Earthscapes