HARVEST MOON I

My planning for this shoot began months prior to the actual event. Whenever I had a free moment, I’d head into the hills to scout for just the perfect location. For a landscape photographer, composition is key. Of course, timing is also everything. Once I found this isolated, barren tree and observed how beautifully it was nestled into the surrounding landscape, I knew this was the place. As October 1st approached and with it the appearance of the Harvest Moon, my anticipation for the shoot grew. When day turned into night, I grabbed my gear and headed into the hills one more time. I couldn’t have asked for more dramatic light as the full moon came into view. Completely mesmerized by the view before me, I stood in awe of mother nature’s immense beauty. Finally, the moment had come when the moon, clouds and this gorgeous tree were all in proper alignment. As I snapped the shutter on my camera, I knew I had captured some real magic. 

ARTIST STATEMENT:  As though by a magnet, I’ve always felt the world pulling me, luring me to explore its mysteries and wonder.  For a long time, I put my dreams on hold.  Then one day in my practice as a radiologist, I met a patient whose journey would forever change my outlook.

In the Fall of 2006, a man came to me with a nagging discomfort in his chest.  At 38 years old, he was so young that I thought surely it must be something benign or otherwise inconsequential.  In a matter of a few short hours, his CT scan revealed that he was suffering from terminal lung cancer.  His story is a reminder to us all that each day must be viewed as a very special gift. 

I’ve witnessed hundreds of patients whose lives have been abruptly changed by a life-altering or life-ending diagnosis.  At times we may convince ourselves that we are immortal, and that cancer or some other catastrophe only affects others, but we have no guarantees in this life.  Time is too short to get lost in a blur of days, weeks, and months.

And so, I began to think more seriously about all those overseas adventures waiting for me, and soon enough, I grabbed my camera and voyaged to all 7 continents.  I’ve observed Tibetan monks in prayer, hiked up the Virunga mountains of Rwanda to marvel at the Silverback gorillas in their natural habitat, and watched Bengal tigers cool off in a shallow lake to escape India’s searing heat.

I’ve met people, young and old, who have lived amazing yet ordinary lives.  Along the way, I’ve spent several decades honing my craft as a portrait photographer. Whether I’m making candid images of women immersed in prayer in Abu Dhabi or portraits of television actors in my Venice Beach studio, I’ve continuously sought to capture life’s fragility and beauty. 

There are no rewinds in life, so find the time to discover your inspiration, explore the extraordinary, create the unimaginable, and then leave nothing on the table.

~ Harv Greenberg, M.D.