Welcome to no. 74 in our series Poignant Pics, where our editor, Diana Nicholette Jeon, writes about Dale Niles’ image, “Under the Waxing Moon.”

"Some things can only be seen in the shadows.” — Carlos Ruiz Zafon"

― Lora Kiddo

I‘ve been acquainted with Dale Niles and her work via Facebook for the past five years, perhaps longer. I admire her ability to use different styles of image-making to call our attention to something she wants us to know or experience.

I love the sense of wonder in this photograph. It leaves me with more questions than answers, and in a “good” way. I like when images such as this one keep drawing me back to interpret its clues. There is something at once both pagan and mystical co-habitating within this image. It’s curious and quirky, and those facets keep drawing me back.

Niles told me, “Combining my photographs with textures is my way of spinning a tale as I construct a collage.” A recent photography retreat on Cumberland Island offered her the “magical experience of being one with nature while in nature away from everyday life.” It is there that Niles made this image.

For me, Under the Waxing Moon reflects the sense of freedom and the chance to commune with nature Niles experienced while on the island. I’m a bit jealous of her experience there. That retreat is one I have dreamed of attending, and it is on my photographic bucket list.

Bravo Dale! Please keep surprising me with what you do next.

Artist Bio

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Dale Niles’ formative years were spent living in small, southern towns in Virginia and North Carolina. Inspired by the heritage of these locales, she developed deep-seated southern roots that richly inform her visual storytelling. Exhibitions include group and solo installations across the United States, Canada, Paris, France, and Venice, Italy. Her prints are held in musuem and private collections. Her recent book, What Lies With: the Eclectic Collections of Andrea Noel, has received recognition from Elizabeth Avedon as best photography book of 2021.

More of her work can be found at www.dalenilesphotography.com

Author Bio

Diana Nicholette Jeon is an award-winning artist based in Honolulu, HI, who works primarily with lens-based media. Her work has been seen both internationally and nationally in solo and group exhibitions. Jeon holds an MFA from UMBC.