I don’t have a favorite photograph. But I do have favorite moments. Below are the images that I would consider some of my favorites. I am invested in them; paying for them with a great deal of physical and mental effort. These photos also capture the spirit of an idea I call Created.
My journey as a photographer started as a teenager. I discovered the work of Gallen Rowell while thumbing through a magazine in a high school photography class. Immediately, I was drawn in by his use of light and the wild and untamed places he was photographing. I later discovered the work of Jim Brandenburg. Jim embraced every aspect of the natural world in his photographs, big and small. I would be amiss if I did not mention the influence of these two artists on my photographic work at a young age.
The idea of seeing the world as an artistic creation grew steadily throughout my life but truly began to grow while in a sculpting class in college. I was sitting near a window watching the light dance through the branches of a pine tree. I longed to be outside exploring, rather than stuck in a dusty old sculpture studio. Then my professor said something that changed everything. “A great sculptor intends for his work to be viewed from many different angles. Each new angle should reward the viewer with something different.”
He had my attention, and suddenly I understood. What if I viewed mountains as sculptures meant to be viewed from many different angles? At the time, I was spending every spare moment I had in the nearby Teton Range and the surrounding Yellowstone ecosystem.
I believed Earth was a creation of God designed for his children. What if when he carved valleys and lifted mountains he created viewing platforms for his children to enjoy his artwork from? How many spots had he created for this purpose, thousands, millions? What about his other creations? How many angles were they meant to be viewed from? When I was out in nature everything around me was living art. Then the idea of light came into play. Every angle presented something new at different times of the day. Storms and atmosphere altered and shifted the light in innumerable ways. There was so much to see and explore! All I had to do was put in the work; to get out there and have the eyes to see it.
That moment occurred over a decade ago. After graduating I began my explorations of God’s creations in earnest. The Created Collection represents images that capture the spirit of my revelation so many years ago. Many of these images represent spiritual experiences for me where I felt closer to God and felt immense gratitude to be immersed in his creations.
The viewer may notice that not all of the images in this gallery are epic landscapes or charismatic wildlife. I often stop and find meaning in small and simple things while on my journeys. I think Elizabeth Barret Browning put it best when she said, “Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes.” Although I may fall short of capturing the beauty of God’s creations, my hope is that the viewer will take the time to see the world I see. It is an earth crammed with heaven, full of life afire with God, where I often find myself gratefully taking off my shoes.
© Jacob Boden Photography
