half-light paul r stevens
half-light is a photographic series born from a spontaneous trip to the lake district. it was an escape; running to the mountains with nothing more than a three-season sleeping bag, a single use foil bivvy, and a camera. dressed in jeans and a cheap waterproof hardshell, i had no idea what to expect. i only knew where i wanted my bedroom to be that night, and where i wanted to wake up. parking at coniston i struck out for the old man himself. my aim was low water, a small tarn nestled near the summit of the mountain. arriving in thick fog i waited for the light. after all, i had all night. slowly the mists cleared, and i began to photograph what i could see. i photographed into dusk, blue hour, through twilight, and into full dark before huddling into my makeshift bivouac.
i woke a few hours later at around 3am, cold but amazed to see a clear night sky above me, the moon bright. i shot for several more hours in a surreal "am i actually here, doing this" state, feeling as though i was somehow mid dream. the next morning i felt many different things. excitement, like a child's first camping trip. nervousness at being completely alone on the side of a mountain with little real knowledge of what was around me. and thrilled at the prospect of freedom to spend as long i wanted exploring this new landscape, my only concerns being food, water and shelter for the next night.
far away in japan they have a term which resonates with me much closer to home, particularly in relation to twilight and the blue hour. they call an awareness of this impermanent state "mono no aware" translating roughly as “the bittersweet appreciation of something that can not last�
“emptiness and extremity are what i search for, with the firm belief that it’ll either kill me or transform me” - thomas cooper, photographer
“exploring is delightful to look forward to and back upon, but it is not comfortable at the time, unless it be of such an easy nature as not to deserve the name� - samuel butler, erewhon
“walking is really the only form of locomotion that puts us on equal terms with the world aound us. our modern mechanical manners of transportation tend to make us lose sight of our relative importance� - dr filippo de filippi