Country

It will be said that, because of my pessimism, I'm still prevented from utterly enjoying the beauties which life accepts to give us sometimes. Most of pictures which you're going to see show an idealized country. In fact it's because of my roving photographer's investigation. I'm used to watch over, walking or standing; to select or take profit of the best lighting possible; to analyse the view angle in order to highlight the harmonious shape of branches or mountains; to introduce a personage in a wide landscape in order to bring a sensation of life...
By the way, let's speak of life : our present countries often are empty of any rural people, farm animals, noises and rumours of agricultural activities. People don't walk any more. Only, the wandering dogs bother the tripper. It's a pity indeed. Even so, however we shouldn't be incited - shall I remember it - to idealize a past mainly made of a hard, very hard life. The magnificence of autumnal foliage did not compensate the rigour of snowy winters. Yesterday it did not compensate the absence of tap water or disquiets about subsistence. Today it does neither compensate isolation nor solves the problems of preservation of an activity.
Nevertheless how beautiful the country is...
(copyright Jean-Michel Cagnon)