Expressive Photography: Exploration
By: Author: J Bakken

Every picture tells a story. Photographs reveal a great deal to the viewer and they can be interpreted differently by individuals. When photographs feature people they often display a variety of emotions ranging from happiness to loneliness and every possible feeling in between. Capturing 'exploration' in a photograph takes the right photographer, the right subject (human or animal), and the right setting.
When I think of my photography where I have captured exploration I think back to a few summers ago when I took my two nephews and niece to spend the day exploring Banff and area. After a picnic lunch in the park we walked along the Bow River and those three kids were adventurous and unafraid exploring every nook and cranny as they went. I was able to capture some wonderful shots of the three of them together and some of the them individually.
I have a fantastic photograph of my niece as she sat on a rock with her back to me looking out across Lake Minnewanka gazing at the mountains in the distance. She didn't know I was taking the picture and to this day it is one of my favorites and I think of that song by Leanne Womak whenever I look at that photo, "I Hope You Dance."
My two nephews explored all three lakes we visited that day and I have great shots of them laying on the rocks soaking up the sun, splashing in the water, standing on logs, squatting under tree roots, waving from bridges, and many more. It was a glorious day in Banff National Park; the sky was a brilliant blue without a single cloud in the sky. We took away many wonderful memories from our day exploring the park and I was fortunate enough to capture them on film.
These pictures could be displayed in a magazine or on a billboard, or they could even be on a hallmark card. Exploring means to be discovering and investigating, and to capture that on film is gratifying and even if you only get one great shot out of 36, you know you've got 'the one'and that's all that matters.

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