That nothing is static or fixed, that all is fleeting and impermanent, is the first mark of existence. It is the ordinary state of affairs. Everything is in process. Everything—every tree, every blade of grass, all the animals, insects, human beings, buildings, the animate and the inanimate—is always changing, moment to moment.
Photographer Henry Jun Wah Lee, with Evosia Studios, displays two years’ worth of natural impermanence in this time-lapse spectacle.
The wide world is filled with experiences and occurrences that leave us less-sure of our mind, less-sure of the thoughts we once counted on to guide us. Nature’s mind-clearing wildness is our most reliable touchstone in a life of impermanence. Existence is so much larger than our thoughts about existence.
What we must do is remain present, remain amazed and remain certain that we don’t have to retain to control. Let go. Be here. Breathe.
Can this really be our Earth?
Lee shares:
I grew up in the city — a world constructed of steel, concrete and asphalt. My view of the night sky was the moon and the handful of stars bright enough to outshine the glow of city lights.My understanding of nature was limited to what I could find at local gardens, parks and zoos.
As a kid I never saw the Milky Way with my own eyes. Just on sci-fi television and in books and magazines.
My encounters with wild animals were limited to squirrels and pigeons in the city (if those even count as wild).
Photographs of places like Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree seemed so otherworldly and unbelievable for a kid from Philadelphia. But as an adult, I have been lucky to rediscover the natural world that exists outside of cities. I have come to appreciate what nature has to offer. It’s an entirely different world from the one I grew up in: a place of beauty, a place to reflect, a place to learn and a place to connect with the heart and soul.
In 2009, I set out to film nature to share with urban dwellers who, like me, have never ventured outside the routines and comforts of cities.
It’s now been two years, many amazing trips, and countless incredible experiences. This film is a compilation of the many highlights captured during this time.
Please enjoy. I hope you can make your own journeys into the wildness and beauty of nature…
Scenes include (in order of appearance):
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
Mono Lake
Joshua Tree National Park
Alabama Hills
Lunar Eclipse of December 2010
Monument Valley
Salton Sea
Tuscon, Arizona
Jeju Island, South Korea
Yosemite National Park
Petrified Forest National Park
Death Valley National ParkMusic: Hans Zimmer–The Dark Knight Soundtrack
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