When it rains the drops draw slowly and in close formation down my windscreen. On the window of my sliding door the wind blows mini-rivers running down at an angle and on the rear glass big drops slow down into droplets, gather volume and speed along. When it rains harder the windows mist up on the inside and the water sags in drip waves along the glass. The drops on the rear window look heavier at the top side, but that is because like little lenses they invert the dark of the rocks with the light of the sky.
When it rains on the Burren the limestone flats reflect the skylight, brightening things up more than when the sun shines. The drops that keep dangling from the camomile trap the light like twinkling trinkets.
Also the sea is tinted by the sky. Except for overcasts the sea changes colour continuously. The greys climb to a milky blue and the waves light up in emerald when translucent. The longer you look into a rockpool, the more you see, but when you photograph it, there's magic to it. Your eyes focus through the water. The camera adds it to what you see.
Before I go to sleep I don't allow myself to drink anymore water, or else I've got to go out at night. I may take in three big swigs for rinsing as long as I spit them out again. When I'm wearing my headlight the drops catch the light and I'm spitting firework in the dark.
When waves break, the water is mixed with air, which produces small water bubbles. The sunlight breaks upon this water. Because these bubbles are round, the light is refracted in every direction. White sunlight is composed of various colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Part of the light is absorbed by the froth, most of it is reflected.
As no single colour is absorbed anymore than another, all colours are reflected in the same measure, so we see white light cast back from the froth. That's why froth looks white from every angle. (Ad Stoffelen, Dutch meteorologist).
When the sun shines while it rains, opposite it there is not only a rainbow, but when you look upward you see the drops lit up by the sun. In my kitchen hole when the sun peeks inside, the rays only show when they light the steam from my cookery.
When the sun shines into shallow clear water, you see a tapestry of light moving on the bottom. Golden jingle-jangles move restlessly on the bottom and when you photograph them you can see them break up in scattered rainbow colours. That's what Carola, my webmistress, inspired the characters of
You can hardly or not at all see light in water. For that you need a medium that for instance functions by contrast, reflection, transparency or projection.
The core of my exhibition was a collection of photos on the walls, which showed Dusty clad in sunlight, a golden shroud. The images I shot just before the exhibition are possibly even more refined. In order not to lean too much upon the charisma of the dolphin to demonstrate the magic combination of water and light, I have selected ten photos that are nearly abstract. You will find them in the 'Foto's' department under the subject 'Dusty'.