Mt. Tamalpias c. 1915

Willard E. Worden made this photograph of Mt. Tamalpais, no date given, but you can tell by the light and mood that the practice was a process. It’s a soft and contemplative image, using a muted palette of blacks, whites and greys. The photograph feels like a study of the texture of the water, the ripples reflecting the light and the dark, the soft undulation of the water almost blending into the soft, rolling hills in the background, all leading the eye up towards the peak of the mountain, shrouded in cloud. The light is gentle and even, creating a sense of calm and stillness. The horizon line, slightly blurred, suggests the transition from the earthly to the ethereal. Worden’s sensitivity to light and texture reminds me of some of Alfred Stieglitz's landscape studies, though Worden’s approach feels more grounded, less concerned with high art. Ultimately, this photograph celebrates the quiet beauty of the natural world, the kind of scene you could spend hours contemplating.