Writing/Essay/Journal
Paul Nelson usually photographs for advertising in a very controlled atmosphere. He has lately been taking pictures of birds in flight. To do so, he has created a rig that triggers the camera when the birds fly through an infrared beam. Although he controls the background and the light and the rig, Nelson has no control over the birds and gets surprising results. Are there any elements of surprise when you create art? How much of the creative process do you control and how much seemingly come from nowhere? Also, what reason does Nelson give for making his art? How has Nelson’s background influenced his art?

Activity
How would you capture nature through art? How can a painting or photograph capture the majesty and fragility of nature? Come up with plans for your own camera rig to capture photos of nature in action.