Animistic Ground
In my childhood, I believed that everything in nature possessed human attributes. I still believe it. Woodland spirits. Souls within rocks, trees, clouds. Anthropomorphism became my fallback religion. Most of the time these were merely projections of my imagination. Very seldom do I actually feel a spirit. But once in a great while I find myself in a place where these spirits surround me. I feel their presence.
Volcan Mountain is this kind of place for me. This short mountain range located in east San Diego County is at the edge of the Anza Borrego Desert. It reaches to an admirable height of almost 9000 feet and is speckled with majestic oaks and lush grasslands. Over the many times I would venture there to photograph, I seldom saw any animals or heard any birds. But the trees, rocks, shadows and grasslands always made their presence known and were always speaking. These were more than inspirations to me. These created strong emotions felt within. It truly became a spiritual experience.
