Captioning Photography: Personifying Nature

     One way to be mindful and to be fully present in the moment is to look at things from different perspectives.  When we look at an experience, a thought, or an image in a new way, our brains are processing novel information, requiring our full focus and attention.

     For me, the act of captioning my photographs in photosharing sites like Facebook, engages my mind in creative thinking.  Rather than merely labeling my pictures, especially nature photographs with simply the name of the subject (tree, leaf, branch), I enjoy engaging myself and the viewer with a caption that causes the brain to think about the photograph in new and unexpected ways.  This is one of the reasons why I love the commenting feature on Facebook, where friends can post comments about my photographs.  Inevitably, their comments cause me to view my images in new ways, often inspiring new ideas for future pictures.

     While browsing through the captions (and comments) on my photographs the other day, I realized that some of the most thought-provoking comments and captions are ones in which nature is personified.  These captions/comments fall into two categories:  Personifying with Motion and Personifying with Mood. 


Personifying with Motion

When inanimate objects are personified, motion can be invoked from what at first glance appears to be a still picture.  My friend Grace commented on the following picture.

“It’s like they are reaching out to one another to stay warm.”  Now when I view this picture I look for ways in which the branches seek each other out.  When I go outside, I look for ways in which branches seem to be extending their limbs toward one another.


The picture below makes me think of a different type of motion.  One bright sunny spring day, I noticed how these shadows appeared to be playing hide and seek with each other.  The shadow behind the tree appears to be peeking out—ready to pounce on the shadow on the grass.

Personifying animals can also make photographs more engaging.  To me, this was just a pretty picture of a swan in Spy Pond.  Grace’s comments have engaged me more with this photography.  “I like how the swan looks like he/she is investigating all of the stuff in the water.”  Now when I view this picture, I am immediately drawn in, thinking to myself, “What is the swan looking at?  How is the swan’s exploration similar to that of the investigations of a scientist?”    

Personifying with Mood

Another way to bring human characteristics to a still-life nature photograph is by infusing it with mood or emotions. 

What emotions does this picture evoke?

When I originally viewed this photograph, I captioned it, “A lonely fall leaf resting on the cold hard ground.”  To me, this picture evoked feelings of desolation and loneliness.  However, Grace had a completely different take:  “Or it’s the bright spot, still holding on.”  This exchange of comments made me realize that the interpretation of a photograph is not just about the image itself, but rather a combination of the image with what the viewer brings to it.  I’ve always realized that my interpretation of an image can vary depending on my own moods and emotions


What emotions does this picture evoke?

And this one?



When I originally .captioned this picture, I simply stated the obvious:  “Objects frozen in the ice but the warm temperatures are starting to make the ice crack.”  It was my friends’ personifying comments on the photograph that inspired me to view it in a whole new way.  My friend Caroline wrote, “I like this a lot.  It has a violent feeling about it, yet it’s so natural and innocuous at the same time, cool concept.”  Brenda replied, “Caroline and I are actually thinking alike.  It looks a little scary to me as if the ice is cracking, but it’s very artistic.”

Words that accompany photographs as captions can give viewers a new lens through which to view the image.  Personifying pictures of nature can evoke motions and emotions in still-life pictures.  As a result, the viewer can often experience the image in a more engaged and mindful way.


Questions to Ponder:

1.  Have you ever personified nature when outdoors or when viewing an image from nature?   If so, how did that affect the way in which you viewed the experience or the image?

2.  The next time you go outside, view the world through a different lens.  Think about how something from the world outdoors could be personified.  How did this affect your experience?