Wilsonville, OR -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/18/2014 -- A photograph is, in a sense, a study of the illusion of time. In an effort to capture movement in a still frame, the photographer ends up capturing time, or the absence of it. And this feeling of timelessness is felt most clearly when two seemingly different subjects come together; man and nature.

Photographer David Frates, in his picture ‘the Lens mantakes the Bait’ depicts a wizened old man fly fishing by the OwyheeRiver in Oregon. This photograph stands out from the crowd for a few very important reasons.

First, it digresses from the typical frame/shot composition of a picture with still water in it. Invariably, photographers tend to digress from the rule of thirds, and tend to put the horizon right at the centre and give equal space to the subject and its reflection. In this case, there is no deviation from the rule. Additionally, there is also not much importance given to capturing the reflection of the clouds on the water perfectly. In a sense, the photograph conveys that this ‘gimmick’ is not part of the story.

Second, the story of time within the photograph. The composition, the setting and the subject all seem to convey the relative presence or absence of the concept of time. Imagine that the fisherman will soon catch a fish that could well be in the prime of its life, which is not more than a few weeks. The old man himself, in comparison has seen decades of happiness, sorrow and everything in between. Age and experience are conveyed through his very stance and posture. Now consider the setting he is in; a large natural lake and a string of low hills, both of which have existed since before humans walked the earth. In this context, the ‘old’ man is no more than a dust mote or a passing cloud in the grand scheme of things.

Finally, what makes this photograph truly special, is that the photographer, David Frates found his calling of capturing emotion through photography, when he was fly fishing, over twenty five years ago. In his own words, ‘ I was fly fishing in Montana, and, in between catching 20" brown trout on the Madison River, the thought came to me, almost as if by divine communication, "when I get home from this fishing trip, I'm going to start shooting pictures professionally." And he hasn’t looked back since.

About David Frates
David Frates is an award winning photographer whose works have been featured in National Geographic, Sierra Club and Audubon.

Media Contact

Dennis Frates Photography
10759 SW Wellington Lane
Wilsonville, OR 97070 USA
Phone toll free: 866-657-2717
Local phone: 503-685-9826
Website : http://www.fratesphoto.com/