Thoughts on my Royal National Park Trip

After reading the article, I promised myself that I would use photography to convey meaning, without having to think about the whole photographic process. My second challenge was to meet and befriend a stranger. To the best of my surprise, I accomplished both of these personal goals. Although, I am wondering if the Park's environment helped me foster a specific context, which allowed me to succeed. Indeed, this unique environment triggered interesting phenomena that I can now observe through the pictures I have taken.

Eventually, my secondary objective was to implement the skills I have acquired through my hiking experiences in the Blue Mountains (I have already been there twice, but I expect a lot from our next trip). Then, I was aware that this walk did not require much hiking skills, which allowed me to focus on myself, others, and the environment. To be honest, I did not expect such a reflection out of simple pictures.

For the first time in my life I used a dynamic angle, without even thinking about it. The result was an exceptional photo that captured the intensity of my feelings towards the landscape that was in front of me. I am now delighted to be able to relive that moment through that picture. Indeed, I was obsessed by the lines and the geometry that the park’s environment offered. It seemed to guide a global vibe that the Park was conveying.

Furthermore, within the first five minutes of entering this space I came to the realization of how dominant Nature was. Whether it was the sea crashing against the rocks, the silence of the bushes, or the sharp cliff edge, I felt small and amazed. This is how I learned that Nature and Humans have a complicated but undeniable bond. Interestingly enough, the second picture I have taken showed how small we were compared to our environment. Nevertheless, I am still convinced that we are deeply embedded in this whole eco-system.

Finally, this second picture also depicted another phenomenon that I observed during our walk. I had already befriended Jack, an American sailor, who surprisingly lives in my building. However, we clearly observed in this picture that people had the tendency to stay in line, on separate rocks: a scattered path. In other words, I was struck by the difficulties I encountered while getting to know my group. Koreans stuck together, Europeans and Americans did the same. It was somewhat complicated to breach that invisible wall, as others tend to stay in their comfort zone. On the contrary, I have realized how much I like to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone. This is what the third picture embodies: a mysterious, twisted and infinite path whose only end is the horizon. I take this path, aware that I will encounter some potential challenges, surrounded by a fascinating environment, and trying out new things while others would not want to. In conclusion, I learned while walking (and looking back at my pictures) that everything I talked about in this article perfectly defines my world.

My pictures

My first picture

My second picture

My third picture