We fill our lives with our best efforts and then at some point a simple mistake can be the catalyst to our greatest creations.
Alex Moffat, photographer, was walking in Lynn Valley with his mother one day, his camera, as usual, in hand. The camera was not set to auto focus and he had taken many shots before he discovered his error. But what came of it couldn't be considered a mistake -- more of a happy accident.
The result can be seen in his latest of many exhibits, The Ancients, photography by Alex Moffat, at the Prince George & District Community Arts Council feature gallery. The opening of the exhibit takes place Thursday, Jan. 16 and goes until March 6.
The technique he uses for the pictures in the exhibit is now something he has refined and used over the years as he made his way to the woods, looking to capture the etheric quality of nature, Moffat explained.
"The exhibit is about the spirits that reside in the Ancient Forest," said Moffat, who is a professional photographer. "This is a series of photographs that were shot in the forest that's located between Prince George and McBride. The photographs are impressions. The technique used for the shots is so you're viewing the spirit of the tree, essence of the tree, the energy of the forest."
Technically, Moffat said when he initially made the out-of-focus error, the results was so unfocused it left the photograph lacking.
"Those images I took during that walk were very soft," said Moffat, who went to school for fine art photography. "The images were hard to look at. There was no place for your eye to focus on in the picture so it was actually annoying to look at the photo. So in revising that, I increased the depth of field in the images so that there would be a focal point and the result is this body of work."
Moffat will give a talk Thursday night during the opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to say," said Moffat, who has been a photographer for 20 years. "I'm kind of curious as to what the feedback will be in the room. I think it will be more of question and answer and an open forum so there's a dialogue established and we can talk openly throughout the evening."
Everyone is welcome to attend the opening reception at the Community Arts Council feature gallery at 2880-15th Ave, Thursday night at 7 p.m.
