Rugged coral beach with rainbow, Bonaire, Netherland Antilles
There is an interesting dichotomy between the shoreline and the life existing not too far away underneath the water’s surface. The shoreline… a rough, textured crusty surface that is for the most part, dead rock. Remnants of animal life that used to exist around and on these large hard structures. In essence, it is a boneyard. Walking through here is like walking through a graveyard of history of many shapes and forms.
Walking along here isn’t just your casual stroll along the beach. You definitely feel the uneven surface beneath your shoes. No barefoot walks here. It becomes a little more unnerving when you start to think about what you are walking on. Skeletons of a reef long gone.
I saw a lot of ironies in making this image. The rainbow in the distance often associated with happy feelings, hope, a refreshing rain, and bringing of life giving water. Yet scattered across the foreground, lit with warm morning light, are these reminders of life that is often hidden from our view. Life that once needed the water so close by to survive.
So many questions come to mind. What animals used to call this “rock” home? How long ago was this piece of dead coral surrounded with vibrant life? Were human beings even present when this piece was thriving at its prime? It is a lot to wrap your head around for a simple walk along a shoreline just looking for pretty pictures.
Venture a bit off shore, and travel downward about 50 feet, and you see the structures you saw on shore hosting the most diverse set of life one can imagine. Living structures that are likely hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years old.
Living rocks that have critters living on them, attached to them, swimming around them. Quite a different picture than the shoreline above the surface not very far away. It gives reason to contemplate these two very different environments and how they are inextricably linked. One very foreign to us, one that extinguishes life for another. It potently depicts the power of water to give birth to, to host and extinguish life.
Living Reef, Bonaire, Netherland Antilles
I would really appreciate it if you would allow me to use one of these beautiful photographs in my English IV presentation on Photographers. I am studying to become a photographer and would enjoy meeting you one day. Thank you.
Tiffany, drop me an email ok?
EMAIL: [email protected] thanks!
Your first picture is AWESOME!!! Love the details, depth, color and the rainbow in the background! =)
Great shots. The first picture is amazing with the rainbow in the background. I love the color, and details!
A browser of blogs should be forewarned not to dip into Graf Nature Photography unless that person wants to deal with interesting questions. Beginnings, passages, life cycles, clashing environments… I could spend the rest of the month thinking about all you have raised here. Ah, well, one can always lose oneself in the beauty of the photography and play hookey on the deep questions. 😉
You are much too kind Ms. Anita. But I am glad you attempted to take some of this in. I have to invite others into these twisted concepts because the more that get involved in them, the less twisted they may become. 🙂
What a great post, I like your thoughts about how life moves in cycles and that one day that dead reef might be full of live again. The photos are absolutely amazing, I love the vivid colours and textures in them a lot.
Thanks a lot Martina. I appreciate your feedback and am glad you enjoyed your visit.
OMG this is seriously gorgeous, and very surreal looking too!
Thanks a lot Amber!
Again, a very interesting and thought-provoking post. A superb glimpse into the natural cycle of life and death, though on a scale we don’t often think about. Good stuff Mark.
I suppose those cycles can be found everywhere we look in nature. This is just one of the many, and a world that many don’t get to experience, let alone think about. Thank you for stopping by!
Wonderful post to read this morning. Your bright images are nice to see on this overcast drizzling morning. Two worlds, two ecosystems and yet so close. I find it rewarding to read an-others view of the world around them. There is something about your vision of this world that I enjoy, both in your images and your writing. I’ll be back!!
Thanks Monte, and I sincerely appreciate your visits and kind feedback.
@Ken – thanks!
@Suzy – well, hopefully they aren’t too crazy of ideas! 🙂
@Earl – Very true, everything is moving in cycles, so perhaps someday critters will call this home again.
@Paul – thanks for your comments! It seems every time I am exploring I have many more questions than answers!
Excellent post, Mark. I really like the questions. I’m sure that I would have similar questions, including why has the water receded? Life cycles are very interesting. And, like Earl said, in some future time, it may well be back underwater.
Mark, wonderful first photo…absolutely beautiful.
As to the post. For me things come a little more in focus when I remember life is a process and we or any of the creatures we may find above or below the water are only here for a few moments in the larger scheme of things. We are not the beginning or the end, we are only small links in a much larger chain continuously changing and evolving. That we as humans can wonder those questions you expressed is our special awareness.
And one day that dead shoreline may again be under water sustaining life and being admired by some future being.
I do like your posts Mark, they always give me pause for thought 🙂
These are extraordinary, Mark. It seem so exotic.