In My Nature: Eric Sharpe
The Cold Lands team invites visitors to our web site to add to our #InMyNature collection of images. That term/tag is used for a lot of things on the web, but most often to capture moments where the photographer is immersed in an encounter with the natural world, or feels somehow authentic or free, unencumbered by expectations set by other people. More on that project here.
Some of our favorite submissions came from Eric Sharpe, from Northern Michigan. He’s modest about his photographs depicting the farmlands, hills and forests near where he grew up, but they really speak to us — as do his thoughtful descriptions. Not only are they highly cinematic, but they feel very much in the spirit of the The Cold Lands.
Below are Eric’s notes and captions on photos he shared with us, while others are left to speak for themselves.
The terrain [of Northern Michigan] is not too unlike that of the Catskills, actually, which is why the film had such an appeal for me (especially now that I live in the sun-baked expanses of southern Nevada). There’s a certain solitude and natural beauty to these places that seem to be best appreciated alone. I think Atticus understands this and is drawn to this instinctively as he interacts with the forest and the forest interacts with him.
My friend Floyd operates a salvage yard. This abandoned vehicle sits alone in his field, underneath this singular tree:
It says a few things: that in the end our magnificent machines will inevitably take a back seat (no pun intended) to the persistence and momentum of nature (the old car cowers, the tree stands triumphant, like Muhammed Ali in that iconic photo). That maybe technology creates a sort of emptiness around us (I feel like the other trees have backed off, creating this perimeter to let the two duke it out). And it also instantly establishes this contrast between nature and man–what we’ve done and what was there.
A Simple Plan (1998) was filmed in this exact location (different time of year):
Reminds me of the sort of place one would find Atticus and his mother exploring. The electrical towers almost seem to be marching in formation:
People think the forests are green. Only green. This photo captures I think the blues and blacks and other colors that give the woods these palates of deep and intense colors. Depth. Maybe even soul.:
Looks like a shot from the film. My friend Floyd (owner of the salvage yard) wandering down the path:
This was one of those stop-in-time moments. The shadows and their perspective add to the complexity of the scene and create this sort of diffuse fractal image. This may sound weird, but I think moments like these reach out and, if we pay attention, effect us on a deeper level. How can we not just stop and catch the instant beauty in that? But then who pays attention anymore?
We think Eric’s photography deserves attention and we’re grateful he offered them up to share. If you’re inspired to share your #InMyNature images, you can do so by tagging @gilroyishere on Instagram and using #inmynature, or by uploading images here.
The Cold Lands continues to screen around the country, and is now available on several digital platforms. The Cold Lands DVD and companion book Somebody Else’s Nowhere are out August 12th.
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