To me, this image evokes a feeling of solitude. I can see a fisherman standing at the waters edge casting his line out into the half frozen river, hoping for a bite at the lure. It seems to be meditative in a way, being alone amidst the trees, watching the sun close over their branches, the water trickling in the background. I can also see this as being a very pensive space, absolutely perfect for self reflection, as one can watch their reflection in the water, slightly distorted by the ripples and the ice patches, as the trees loom over them and they are back lit by the setting sun. It does not seem like a very dangerous place. I believe that this is due in part to the sun shining a golden hue over the tops of the pines in the distance and the azure sky spreading above the tree line. There does not seem to be any threatening force lurking behind the trees and bushes either, as there are no footprints in the snow. On the other hand, this place could represent the exact opposite of the safe and relaxing landscape that I just described. The solitude could be quite the negative thing and be focused more towards the idea of “if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it even make a sound?” It can make one feel uneasy being so alone in such a vast span of wilderness or I suppose in this case wildness may be a better term for it as it is not true wilderness. Nonetheless, this setting may bring one discomfort as they may be anxious that if something were to happen, there would be no one there or around to help them, as no roads or houses can be seen in the image. Personally, I still see it is a comforting setting. This is because of the softness of the colors that are present with no harsh streaks of black cast shadows to impede them, and the soft light that casts over the tops of the trees.When I look at this image, the first thing I think of is isolation. I believe that this is to do with the fact that the picture of the water is taken from the opposite side of the tree line so the view of the water is mostly hidden. In actuality, the trunks and the branches almost appear to be the rods and bars of a cage. It can be determined by the viewer that there is no opening at the top of this so called cage, as the trees stretch all the way to the top edge of the image. The fact that the snow is more dirty and torn up towards the origin of the camera, or alternatively the person standing behind said camera, shows that the person within this inferred “cage” is not even trying to approach the bars, get close to the water, or escape their confinement. The foreground is also quite plain as opposed to the background that lays beyond the trees, which, to me at least, means that the subject, or one might say character in this case, that sits behind the lens is being distanced, whether it is willingly or not, from the happenings of the world around them. On the other hand, some may view this image in a more positive light. Since the trees are blocking the view of what lies beyond them, some may see them as being a protective barrier of sorts, that keeps everything that may be considered dangerous a good distance away from the person sitting behind the camera. Another thing that can be discussed about this image is the idea of healing water versus dangerous water. The trees may be acting as a barrier to either a symbolic healing or a threat, leaving it up to the viewers discretion as to whether they want to view the given image as positive or negative.This picture elicits a strong “home grown cowboy” sort of feeling. Just as a farmer would ride around his property to check in on his land, livestock, and fences, the viewer seemingly does the same as their eyes fall on the dingy looking fence and the horses in the background. There is also something about that one horse in the mid ground looking up in a very alert manner that also seems like a very protective stance, as it can be inferred that that horse is the leader and is constantly seeking out danger in order to protect the group. This shows a classic form of ignorance as the horse does not realize that there is already someone looking over the group to protect them from any threats and to keep them out of harms way. This image could also represent a turning point if it were to be described as a scene in a piece of writing, as some of the snow is beginning to melt away and the dead grass and hay is becoming exposed. This image in general is very contradictory as the bottom of the picture is very dirty and glum and the top portion is this nice and clear blue sky.
