r is for rust

Photography is not my area of expertise. I leave that to my sister, who never ceases to amaze me with her talent and her photographer’s eye. (I should have used her for “M”. M is for Mandi.) But, I do recall a point where I thought my photographic talent was at least good enough to win myself a photo contest amongst friends. After a slightly heated debate about whose skills ranked the highest, the challenge of a photo contest was raised. Always being up for anything that allows my competitive side to run wild, I was all for the idea. In preparation for the contest, I simply took pictures of things that I liked, things that I found beautiful for one reason or another...and truth be told, the resulting photos were not winning material. But, it nonetheless cemented in my head that I am in love with rust. Rolls of film were spent on rusty metal tables and the gorgeously rusted gates of a nearby cemetery. And, while there are plenty of people who have expressed, in one form or another, their curiosity over why rust would be inspirational, the orange-ish red substance continues to beckon me.

And because of this, it’s probably no wonder why I immediately took to the red rocks of Sedona. On our summer vacation to Arizona, my sister and I were submerged in a land where the beauty of the landscape surrounds and inspires. The tall, towering rocks and the desert hues would fill any artist with awe. But, when I found out that the red in those rocks is actually rust caused from iron oxide, it was no surprise to me why I felt so deeply inspired by this place. One of my biggest sources of inspiration was literally underfoot and all around me.

Comments

lindsey said…
I really like this photo! It could be especially cool if you did a whole series of rust photos that covered an entire wall.
Rach said…
I remember that photo contest!! Didn't you win? I don't remember anymore. :) Also I have to admit I was thinking that perhaps R would be for ring...? :)
Mandi said…
We have a lot of old jewelry at work that looks like it's rusted. I kinda like it. But actually on certain pieces of jewelry the "rusty" stuff is called patina. It is usually green though. So, there's your little vintage jewelry lesson for the day. Hope you enjoyed it :) (Oh and by the way, even though you didn't win that contest, you are still an amazing artist in my opinion!)
megs said…
...sure, yeah, rust is great, yay for rust, we all love rust. rust rocks. that's nice.
But, i was also thinking that "r" would be for "ring"! i mean, the timing was absoutely PERFECT. Dude, dont be modest! Let that rock shine! That rock rocks, really!
~megs
Pam said…
I agree with Megs. You know, in Spanish there is a letter that comes after "R". It's an "RR" (rolling r).

I think you should do a post with that letter and use Rrrring for that!

BTW Heather you're the best! Thanks for listening to me last night and speaking truth to me. It's not what I wanted to hear but it's what I needed in order to set me straight. Love you!!!
Anonymous said…
Now y'all should remember that this is the alphabet of inspiration and if rust inspires this lovely little lady then I believe r is for rust.

besides that, w could always be for weddings...

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