To photograph: it is to put on the same line of sight the head, the eye and the heart. ~Henri Cartier-Bresson





Matunuck's Lonely Tree (Select Image or Title To See In A Larger Format)





Matunuck's Lonely TreeMatunuck's Lonely Tree is a tree with no reason but stands at the edge of what was once farmland and what is still beach during a weather event at sunset. A commenter view this photo simply said, "I see Hope". Being that this photo was taken at the Rhode Island shore, it is fitting to invoke "Hope" (the state motto).









"My" tree is gone. I went for a walk on Matunuck Beach with my wife today and "my" tree was gone. Lost to the wind, wave, tides, and erosion of winter.



I call it "my" tree because I entered a photograph of it in a contest a few short years ago. The theme was landscapes and lonely trees. This tenacious tree on the edge of the fields at Matunuck Beach popped into my mind. I received accolades on the entry.



But now, in 2021, the lonely tree is gone from the beach. This brings another thought to mind; why we take photographs.



Not long ago, someone online was in one of "those" social media arguments. Someone had "borrowed" and downloaded a photo. The response was that "It's only a picture". No, it was much more than a picture. It was a moment. A moment of preservation. A piece of creativity and inspiration mixed with recording history. It was a moment that we will never capture again.



And today, what exists of this lonely tree in Matunuck are the memories and the image left behind. This tree meant something. At least to me, it meant something. And I will cherish this memory that I captured. Now, it is one of a kind, never seen again. May the angels remember it. I know that I will. 



Matunuck Storm Angel 





Matunuck Storm AngelMatunuck Storm Angel. As the sun begins to set after a storm at Matunuck Beach, an image of an angel forms with crepuscular rays streaming down.









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© Keith R Wahl, Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Keith R Wahl and Made From RI/Made From RI Gallery with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.