I captured this image below in Zion National Park. I’ve talked about Zion before and my love for the park so I won’t get into great detail but know that I truly love this park to its core and it is important to know for later. I’ve grown very fond of exploring the east side of the park where this image was taken. At first glance, it is a curious scene. This repeating pattern of side-lit rock is interrupted by this stark dark trunk.
I almost added this image to my portfolio. I remember vividly taking this image and thinking about how the scene was unique to me. I set up my tripod, lined up my composition, and captured the image. After taking the photo, I aimed to continue on through the canyon when I noticed at the corner of my eye what seemed to be writing in this bottom right slab pictured in the photo. The rock was completely covered in graffiti. It was absolutely disheartening. Not because it ruined my experience of the scene but because people don’t have the decency to respect nature for what it is. I can’t seem to fathom what makes people believe it is okay to scratch into rocks whom they love, their names, etc. How large does one's ego need to be in order to destroy nature?
I digress. As I reviewed the images made on this Zion trip in my apartment, I began my typical culling process. I would then edit the images remaining. This image made the cut. After processing the photo and giving it a very basic edit, I thought hard about this experience and the foul taste the graffiti left on me. I knew it wouldn’t be right to continue on. As photographers, we have as much ability to include what we please. More importantly, we have every power to exclude what we please. I am am very cognizant of what is in my frame out in the field. So I make sure I exclude the “bad parts”. But at what point do you completely disregard these beautiful locations by conveniently not including graffiti and sharing the image. Although I was unaware of this graffiti this did not sit well with me. After some mulling about this idea, I thought about how I often live through life as an image of my “best self”.
I am often seen as an extroverted & outgoing guy. Around others, I try to play up this image of myself. It can be fun and allow me to make many friends and connections. What I don’t often talk about is how absolutely draining this can be. More often than not, I enjoy pure silence with myself. It is why I enjoy running as much as I do. It is why I love going out to national parks by myself. There is a clarity achieved and a discourse that is had with myself that I could not possibly achieve with others. To share this image would directly go against my true self not to mention disregarding the disgusting acts against nature. This image, edited and framed to eliminate any of the graffiti surrounding is a facade. I recently released my gallery and the image is nowhere to be found. It’s a win in my book, in both sharing photography that is concerned with the wellbeing of nature and for my true self.
