Axelle Destaing Fine Arts

Photographing is a meditative practice that connects me to nature in the most beautiful way. It allows me to slow down, destress, awaken my senses and be in the present moment. An important constant in my artwork is the feeling of tranquility it provides. I try to isolate the quietude-- that calming and serene energy-- that called me to the initial framing and pressing of the shutter button. I hold the camera in my hand during long exposures as I want my breath and body movement integrated into the picture making. This attention and stillness, a kind of focus necessary to photograph, is the same center that guides the transformation process in my mind as I work. Time is the companion I’ve come to trust and depend upon. This is not a rushed process. I want to give these interior lifescape impressions a gentle, poetic and calming effect. I know the final image has arrived when I feel the peace I found and hope to evoke. Listening to nature makes us more attuned to the quiet, often unnoticed details around us and in our daily lives . When you start listening to the subtle whispers of the wind, the rusting of leaves and tall grasses , or the rhythm of waves and rain drops , you begin to hear more clearly the whispers within you- your own instincts, thoughts and emotions. It’s a kind of mindfulness that, over time, enhances the way you connect with the world and people. Nature is my sacred space, a place where I ultimately always find myself as we are all one biological lifeform.