Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Photo of the Day: Chautauqua Lake, Late Afternoon


The other day, in a post on Ken Burns, I indicated that the Amphitheater was the heart of the Chautauqua Institution. Upon further reflection, however, I’d have to amend that: it is the intellectual heart of this upstate New York institution (still no mean feat, at that).
In a primal sense, because water is so central to life, Chautauqua Lake—captured in this photograph I took late Sunday—is the heart and soul of the place. The following night, a session was held lakeside on “Contemplative Photography.” I can think of few places of such quiet but real rustic beauty where that art form can be better applied.
This week, as this great American place celebrates its 140th anniversary, walking or biking by this body of water remains the simplest and most joyous of activities for those of us seeking a break from the noise, haste and waste of urban life.

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