I've been going to Bronte Park, a 100+ acre provincial park near my home, for over thirty years. I thought I knew every corner, but I came upon this abandoned baseball diamond. I've never seen it before, or at least I've never seen it in this state. The field was completely covered as in the image, but so were the players' benches, and the environs all around. I was there on a Friday evening, virtually the only one in the whole park, so it was very quiet and eerie, and very calming, at the same time.
This image is very meaningful for me, because I was a small bookish kid, afraid of sports and other kids. Baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and rinks were places of fear and intimidation, and they hold no special memories for me now. Seeing this overgrown, abandoned playing field echoed very deeply. As I watched this still scene for about thirty minutes or so, there seemed to be a quiet message all around, but what was it?
Taken through a 10.5mm fisheye. Post is just curves, hue/sat, smart sharpen.
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I really like this. When I first saw it in the challenge, it was one of those that made me stop and really look, because it had an interesting "feel" to it. I do like the use of the fisheye for this - not sure it would have worked nearly as well otherwise. To me, it is zen, and to some degree it also conveys aloneness, which is different than loneliness in that aloneness can be very peaceful and comfortable.