“Beauty has a lot to do with character.” - Kevyn Aucoin

Beauty is often times what we make of it. Though there are many standards of what is beautiful, a memory, history, politics, and even ignorance can color one’s perception of beauty. Our own past and predispositions have a remarkable affect on our ability to view the aesthetic quality of an object objectively. However, everyone should work to expand their definition of what is beautiful; by actively seeking to understand and see things from a novel perspective, we are rewarded by innumerable opportunities to learn and grow. Each time we push our boundaries, we are increasing are ability to be more fulfilled in life.

Monet’s Charing Cross Bridge is an example of something that I think, and most people would probably agree, is incredibly beautiful. I in particular, love Impression and am therefore more inclined to favor Monet’s work. However, Monet’s use of color, texture, movement, and unity are some of the qualities which make his work undeniably beautiful.

Monet's Charing Cross Bridge, 1899

There is a section in East Campus at the University of Georgia that I have always thought was extremely ugly. There lies a coal plant, complete with mounds of coal, a coal-fired boiler, lots of pipping, and smoke rising into the air. It takes away from what I would mostly otherwise consider, an attractive (and in some places beautiful) campus. Not only is the area itself repelling, but its representation of our dependence on fossil fuels only adds to its gloomy nature. Recently, however, I have started thinking that photographs of the area would be interesting in the very least, if not beautiful. I decided to take a picture of the scene and convert it to black and white. Objectively, I do see some beauty in the photograph itself; there is good use of line, composition, movement, and contrasting values. However, I have come to find the concept of a series of similar photographs quite beautiful. Bringing attention to our environmentally damaging practices is beautiful in and of itself.

UGA's coal-fired electric plant.

Mattias Klum, a photographer for National Geographic, uses his own photographs for the same purpose. Through his gorgeous photographs he hopes to inspire a compassion for nature within people’s hearts, hoping this compassion will then connect to their minds and affect their practices.

Mattias Klum's photographs from National Geographic.