DORLI BURGE, PhD
As a retired clinical psychologist, I am thrilled to have more time to pursue my creative interests. Even as a very young child, I was mesmerized by Vermeer paintings with their luminous light and attention to the beauty of ordinary scenes and objects. Edward Weston’s flower photography and abstract images of bodies and objects appealed to me viscerally. Georgia O’Keefe’s work helped me see flowers in new and dramatic ways.
As I have worked on my photography, I have attempted to capture the beauty of details in my environment. I photograph objects in everyday life, flowers and architectural details. I try to find unexpected points of view and capture lines and color in natural light. This focus on the beauty of details in everyday life served me well in coping with pandemic isolation.
The process of looking for beauty in the detail and the ordinary has parallels to the process of psychotherapy. It requires stillness, and reflectiveness. By looking closely one finds the novel and surprising. Bringing details into selective focus provides new insight. Unexpected beauty emerges by considering different perspectives. Access to the interior world of other persons often occurs through noticing and asking about small details of their experience and communication. And in photography, as in the therapeutic encounter, I have the experience of time standing still as I observe intently.
Mushroom Abstract
(Photograph, 3690px x 2860px)
Macro photograph of an oyster mushroom. The extreme closeup of the gills of the mushroom evokes a sense of mystery, unexpected power and movement.