Haunter of Woods

Ne`moph´i`list
n. 1. A haunter of the woods; one who loves the forest and its beauty and solitude.

Nemophilist. An interesting word, isn't it? I've heard it before, occasionally, but never knew its exact meaning, until I came across a site I now keep in a short list of valuable resources, Other-Wordly.

Other-Wordly takes beautiful, rarely used words, originating from many different languages and presents them as a set, with their meanings plainly described.

That was my first real exposure to the word and its true meaning. 

I identify strongly with it, because I'm drawn to the woods, and to nature. I grew up in the woods, playing as a kid in the trails back home in Texas, building forts, running through barefooted with my friends.

When I began retooling this site, attempting to discover its purpose, other than of course promoting my photographic work, I gave thought to who my target audience was. Most photography blogs I've come across post article after article offering technical advice concerning cameras, or tips and techniques for photography. I immediately decided against that route.

I'd rather identify with a much larger group of people. Not just photography junkies, but lovers of imagery, and admirers of the things we take pictures of, namely the world we inhabit. It's been said that to find out what someone loves, pay attention to what they photograph.

So here, in addition to the occasional camera tip or shooting technique, you'll mostly find stories and photographs of the things I love; nature, landscape, the woods, the beach, the ocean, the earth, and everything that occupies it.

When I saw that word, nemophilist, and discovered its meaning, I knew that it described me perfectly. My tagline had previously consisted of a list of the disciplines of photography that I shoot. That doesn't describe me. This word describes me, so it became my tagline. Photography isn't just a hobby or a business, it's a connector between ourselves and the world around us.