REVIVAL ~ Borobudur Temple ~ Central Java, Indonesia.
I’ve always had a passion for capturing photographs with intensely dramatic morning light. Landing that perfect shot can be extraordinarily challenging, particularly when you’re at Mother Nature’s mercy. I had extremely limited time at Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world. I had flown in from Jakarta and was driven the rest of the way. We overnighted in the car so we would be first in line when the gates opened at 6a. I hurried to find the perfect composition. The conditions were ideal! I couldn’t have imagined more beautiful, diffuse light as the sun’s rays filtered through the clouds. I fired off several dozen shots in rapid succession. When I eventually looked at the images on my computer, I knew this was the one and Revival was the obvious choice for its title. I hope you enjoy this majestic sunrise photograph captured in Central Java, Indonesia.
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.