Sitka spruce, Cape Blanco State Park, Curry County, Oregon 1999 - 2003

Robert Adams made this photograph of a Sitka spruce tree in Cape Blanco State Park, Oregon. It's a gelatin silver print, and what gets me is how Adams coaxes a symphony of grays from the landscape. Look how the light catches on each branch, twig, and needle. There's so much delicate detail in the foreground, which gradually softens to a blur in the distance, like a memory fading. The composition is carefully balanced; Adams invites you to get lost in the intricate network of the tree's limbs, like wandering through a forest of thought. There's a quietness to this photograph that reminds me of the work of Minor White, especially in its attention to the spiritual qualities of nature. It's like Adams wants you to not only see the tree, but feel its ancient presence, too. The photograph invites reflection, embracing the idea that art can be a form of meditation.