Komorebi: A Dance of Light And Shadows

Film photographers love the idea of playing with light and our community has tons of photos to prove that. It can even be said that we owe everything to it since light makes photography—our treasured art—possible and enjoyable.

As photographers, we tend to capture scenes that catch our attention—views that inspire us to create something with the tools at our disposal. Nature has a way of providing subjects for us every day, so long as we remember to notice them. One of those things is made possible by the wind, trees, and sunlight. And it has a name, komorebi.

Komorebi is a Japanese word that describes the light that peers through the spaces left by leaves and branches and the shadows they produce. The swaying of the leaves creates a delicate dance on surfaces. Usually unnoticed or even unseen, the shadows and light that help create them can be a wonderful thing to photograph as these images show.

The word 'komorebi' itself is a beautiful thing. The fact that this particular animation from nature has a name is amazing when you think about it. The kanji characters that build the word describe the actual animation: 'ko' means tree, 'more' which is the stem for 'moreru' translates to leak out or come through, while 'bi' is for day or sunlight. Put together and they roughly translate to the sunlight shining through the trees. An elegant and fascinating way to describe something so beautiful.

Nature seems to always find a way to show us a thing or two that can inspire us. And it's a little bit poetic, don't you think? How something as simple as light passing through the canopies of trees can be so mesmerizing. The swaying of the leaves in the wind creates a slow dance on the ground or walls. It's a balance since komorebi would not be possible without either one.

If you look at komorebi from a photographer's perspective, it could prove to be an interesting challenge. You'd have to find a perfect spot during the daytime to capture the rays of light peering from the crowns of trees. Of course, you'd then need to be creative with framing to perfectly capture what komorebi is. It can be anywhere so you'd need to have a keen eye. Lastly, you should enjoy the fact that you know what it is and revel in the idea that you are once more able to come outside and enjoy nature.

How about you? Do you have pictures that encapsulate the idea of komorebi? Share your photos that capture this dance between light and shadows in the comment section below.

written by cheeo on 2022-11-05 #culture #trees #light #shadow #community #etymology #komorebi