Reeds, Leffert's Pond 2004

This is Don Ross’ photograph, Reeds, Leffert’s Pond. It’s a dance of light and dark, a study in the push and pull of nature’s textures, captured through the lens. Look at how the reeds rise from the water, their reflections creating these ghostly doubles. There’s a tension between the solid forms and their watery counterparts. The surface is scattered with lily pads, like small islands, their shapes echoed in the mirrored sky. Ross has this way of layering depth, making the pond feel both intimate and expansive. The gray scale is really working here. It allows us to feel the quietness of the scene, the subtle gradations bringing out the light on the water. It reminds me of some of Gerhard Richter’s photographic paintings, that same interest in blurring and focus, turning reality into something almost abstract. Ross invites us into a space of calm contemplation, seeing the world through the lens, with the lens.