Coming in late July, enjoy an online exhibition of the photography of Bruce Wilson brought to us by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.

In Shakespeare’s time, four elements were considered essential to life – earth, air, fire, water. In our own lifetime, we have discovered just how essential these elements are. The fourth, water, takes on the role of beauty, reflection, discovery, joy, even metaphor, in this exhibition by photographer, Bruce Wilson.

Urban Ponds: Essential Ecosystems for the Enjoyment and Discovery of Nature through October 11, brings the aesthetic and elemental properties of water, within the circumscribed arena of the city, to the Arnold Arboretum. Three ponds in the Bradley Rosaceous Collection, Faxon, Dawson, and Rehder, are alive with fauna and flora, beckoning visitors who relish a connection to nature and water in an urban community.

An integral component of the Arboretum’s ecosystem and landscape, these ponds (as well as in an urban pond in Newton)—named for former Arboretum staff—entice Wilson to bring his artistic eye to the discovery of shadows, reflections, and visitor enjoyment. His pond images complement the trees, emphasize the subtle or saturated colors of water, and capture interactions between visitors and scenes of rich pond life. Water is our source of life, its essence can calm and nurture each of us during this year when we look for nourishment of the body and spirit. Wilson has captured moments for all of us to share and savor.

While a relative newcomer to serious photography, Wilson’s images belie his short history of working with the original “raw material” in the initiating image, and then his post-production work to bring out interesting geometry, color, or the overlooked beauty of some part of nature. He takes his cue from Frederick Law Olmsted “The root of all my good work is an early respect for, regard and enjoyment of scenery.”

Visit http://arboretum.harvard.edu to view the exhibit.