amys article israeli lens march 2015 v1

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Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Amy Kanka-First leafWinter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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"For most of my life I photographed to record happy moments – vacations, children growing up. It was only after leaving the hi-tech world that life slowed down and – almost by chance – I stumbled upon the camera as a means of self-expression. Rather than documenting moments, I started to capture my reaction to them. The deepening breath taking in the scent of rain and roses, the inner silence created by the ocean waves. The camera changed the way I experience time. The efficient rushing through the day replaced by the realization of how long a 30 second exposure is. Savoring the seconds rather than trying to make the most of the minutes. When I am surrounded by nature, whether in the garden or on the beach, I feel part of the world in a much deeper way than when I walk the city streets. It is this connection, this feeling of awe and joy that I strive to capture. The spirit of the moment rather than the view. It’s about the light pouring through the trees rather than the forest, the fleeting reflections in the wet sand, the morning mist colored pink.

Nature poetry. Photography for me is first and foremost an internal journey. I strive to create connections between what can be seen and what can only be imagined. Allowing the camera to weave bits of me into each image."

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Winter sunIn the beginning, I was lured by the pure beauty of the winter sun. Unlike most of the year, when the sun burns and scorches skin and flowers, during the winter there are a few months when light literally and visibly changes.Pouring through the clouds, mixed up with the morning mist it covers the world with a shimmering fabric of light. Standing in this light, opening up to enjoy these fleeting moments, before the sun hides again beneath the clouds – this is what I was after capturing through the lens.Then, after a few stormy days, the rain ponds came to be. Where only yesterday, trees stood in patches of brownish grass, there was a rippling mirror reflecting trees that seemed to be rooted in the clouds. The brownish grass and the most ordinary weeds looked as if painted by a master calligrapher. New forms were born, out of nowhere.As I write this, it is the beginning of spring. The sun is already warmer and higher in the sky. The last of its winter magic shines on the first leaf buds. The rain ponds will disappear soon, revealing again the mundane patchy grass under the trees. But the feeling of standing there, wrapped in light, this image will stay with me… until next year, when if I’m lucky I will experience it again.Special thanks to my mentor Cheryl Machat Dorskind whose thoughtful advice helped shape this portfolio.

Amy Kanka-Reeds. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Reflections. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Reflections-Spikes. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Among the trees 2. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Among the trees. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Glowing. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Among the trees #1. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Arcade. Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015

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Amy Kanka-Blanket of light Winter sun, Ilanot forest, Israel. Winter 2014-2015