Looking at the world in new ways

The Kedron Brook in South Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Stepping out into nature, you never know what the environment will have waiting for you, but that unpredictability is the fruit of the outdoors. It's the best part of the canvas that Mother Nature so richly paints.

For me, each time I venture out with my camera, it challenges me to look at the world around me in a new way. Each composition gives me a different view on common imagery, whether it is a stream of light, a babbling brook, or a row of buildings. I am looking to tell a story and let the light shine through and illuminate an idea, even when it seems tougher to find something with a fresh angle.

Vermont's landscape provides ample opportunity to photograph some beautiful waterways. It took me a few tries, but this photo of the Kedron Brook, shown above, reminded me of a series of steps graced by the flowing water. It portrays a calm, peaceful image of progress, of putting one foot in front of the other, with grace.

Even on a darker, cloudy day, if I head out with an open mind and a willing heart, I’m able to find a new idea out in nature, even in areas I’ve photographed before. That’s an apt metaphor for life. If you have a situation that seems impossible, you just have to look to see where there’s a little bit of light popping in, and usually that can lead you forward and illuminate the path toward a solution. Instead of trying to force a certain outcome, we can be open to finding that light, which is there to inspire us. Through challenges, we can find the good, even on the darkest of days.

— Gareth Henderson