Water.


Any scientist would be satisfied with the most common defintion for water; a binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade.

But most people will agree that the element of water does not begin and end with such a tedious definition. Being an essential substance for life on this planet, water is much more than a ‘tasteless liquid.’

In every sense, we are surrounded by water.

Being that water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen, two of the most common elements in the entire universe, water has even been found within interstellar clouds far across our galaxy.


Water is everywhere.


Liquid


Rivers | Lakes | Waterfalls | Ponds | Puddles | Rain | Seas |






Rain


“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.”










Many cultures associate rain with sadness and negativity, compared to the bright and happy sun.

However, in dry regions throughout the world, rain is greeted with delight and is treated like a blessing. Rain can also be bring joy to those who appreciate it for its soothing qualities and aesthetic appearance.

The scent of rain, often considered distinctive and sometimes pleasant, comes from an oil produced by plants called petrichor. After being absorbed into rocks and soil, the petrichor is later released into the air during rainfall.






Sea


“Why do we love the sea?
It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.”

~Robert Henri












For all time, the sea has been equally loved.. and feared.

Anyone who has ever been to an ocean knows that a sea is not simply blue but can actually cover millions of different shades of blue and green, often exhibiting great magnificence, especially in sunny weather. Many ancient civilizations have described the sea as having a “celestial beauty.”

Anyone who has ever been to an ocean also knows that the sea has many faces. The sea can be pleasant, gorgeous, gentle, and charmed. In times of stormy weather, which can often advance within a moment’s notice, the sea becomes wild, mighty, and untamed.

Sometimes the sea can be deceptive. The weather could be fair, and the ocean will seem calm.

But one must never underestimate even the smallest of waves.


A word of advice from someone who has known the sheer power of those waters:

Never turn your back on the sea.







Ice

Snow | Sleet | Hail | Glaciers








“Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.” ~Robert Frost








Snow possesses a unique, pristine beauty all its own, even to those who know of its existence primarily through photographs and national news reports. While freezing weather has the capacity for immense devastation, snow is mainly recognized for its lovely appearance and contribution to recreational sports.

Like the sea, ice has proven to be an element of water that can hinder even the most enduring human. While the sea exhibits power in rolling waves, ice can show intimidating strength in avalanches and blizzards. Areas completely covered in ice year-round are usually devoid of human influence, simply because ice is one of the few proud elements that cannot be easily dominated by humans. Frankly, we just cannot survive in extremely cold conditions.

Ice is generally associated in literature with the human emotions of inclemency, bitterness, coldness, and general cruelty.

Perhaps we are the bitter ones, to place that kind of judgement on such a powerful element of water.

We are jealous of its elegant strength.

We wish we could have that kind of power.








Vapor


Mist | Fog | Steam | Clouds | Geysers





Mist





“It is not the clear-sighted who rule the world.

Great achievements are accomplished in a blessed, warm fog.” ~Joseph Conrad





Mist is the phenomenon of water droplets suspended in the air.

Naturally, mists and fogs are generally associated with mystery, which is mostly due to the fact that our sense of vision is greatly obscured in the thickest of fogs. Even though these forms of water seem harmless, a false step on a mountain hike during times of mist can prove to be fatal.

Even the “weakest” forms of water are not to be underestimated.

Mist deserves much more apppreciation. Many of the world’s most beautiful photographs depict landscapes that are shrouded in mist.



Human Analysis





Water, both in its striking beauty and its vitality to human survival, has been recognized as a spiritual element in almost every culture throughout all time. The ancient Greeks associated water with the human qualities of emotion and intuition. In Indian culture, the water element was linked to the planet Venus, the north-east, and imagination.

Chinese philosophers primarily associated water with the planet Mercury, winter, coldness, darkness, night, and the color black. In Taoist thought, water represents intelligence, wisdom, and flexibility. They recognized that water can be fluid and weak, but wields great power in abundance and floods.

Wiccan tradition associates water with autumn, the west, and the color blue.

Many cultures also agree that water is universally linked to the moon. With its gravitational pull, the moon influences the ocean tides, which in turn affects the spawning of sea animals.


Pretty much every creature known to mankind depends on water in some way. Anyone can tell you that water makes up 71% of the Earth. It also makes up 55-78% of the human body, depending on body size.

Thus, in a sense, we represent the element of water all on our own.







Water (n.)
once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles)











Water (n.)
a liquid necessary for the life of most animals and plants












Conclusion





“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.”

~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732


To the extraordinary photographers who captured the element of water in every way:

Thank you.



Links


Original Collection: (Water) [link]
Original Collection: (Fire) [link]

Past Issue: (Fire) [link]