The Cabin; A Refuge And A Photo Inspiration
Daryl Hawk, February, 2008
Turning 50 this past year led me to pause, take stock, and reflect back on
the years that have passed by relatively quickly. As I look forward to the second
half of my life, I realize why I became a documentary photographer. It has led
me to the far reaches of the earth while enabling me to slow down and really
look at life up close. It is the series of amazing journeys I have been on and
the stories that have accompanied them that I look back on with great joy.
Windsor, New Hampshire |
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All Photos © 2007, Daryl Hawk, All Rights Reserved
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I have been fortunate enough to have spent a good deal of my free time in
Windsor, New Hampshire—the second smallest town in the state. A family
cabin situated on White Pond has always been my refuge for escaping this fast-paced
world. I have always referred to it as a lake but the locals remind me it really
is a pond.
With a population of fewer than 250, Windsor is the kind of town where everyone
waves as you drive by and the latest news is received at Williams Store. Ponds,
rolling hills, old stone walls, huge granite boulders, and heavily forested
woods filled with birch, pine, oak, maple, and spruce cover most of the land.
My family ran two sleep-away camps for children from the 1950s to the ’80s
called Holiday Trail and Holiday Highlands. Having spent every summer of my
life in this 250 acre forested sanctuary, a spiritual bond with the land was
formed at a young age.
Mailboxes |
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The mailboxes of Windsor are quite often clustered together on
many of the gravel roads.
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On White Pond I can truly immerse myself in nature and feel and see its ever-changing
beauty every hour of the day. From the early morning light that illuminates
the mountain across the water to the bright stars that fill the vast sky at
night, my days are filled with sheer joy and real solitude. Nature is the driving
force that inspires me to shoot these images that all come straight from the
heart.
Both Henry David Thoreau and Ansel Adams influenced and inspired me with their
words and images. The purity and vision expressed in their work has motivated
me to capture in my own way the beauty of the Windsor area. I thrive on the
quiet adventures and timeless beauty I experience there every day. Whether I
am alone pursuing my craft of black and white photography or just hanging out
on the dock enjoying the close togetherness with my family, different variations
of nature constantly surround me.
Old Bridge |
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Right outside of Windsor in Hillsborough Upper Village you can
see this beautiful double arch stone bridge built in the 1850s.
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I am a purist at heart and therefore have decided to stay with film. My 25
years of familiarity with my trusty Nikon SLRs combined with the Plus-X and
Tri-X I have grown to love has made this an easy decision for me.
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