It’s not a stretch to call the Town Green Amphitheatre a focal point of Maple Grove. “I was drawn to it,” says Amy Reed of the outdoor bandshell. “This structure is aesthetically beautiful, the way the lights continually transform in color from vibrant earth tones to cool stream-like hues.”
Reed's submission in the 2010 Maple Grove Magazine Focus on Maple Grove photo contest was inspired when she first noticed the amphitheater while driving her family home from Weaver Lake Beach. The cycling lights glowed amber against the darkening blues of the encroaching twilight, compelling her to immortalize the scene. She set her camera up as the sky's tone deepened and she caught a young couple—caught up in a moment of their own—whose silhouette lent a sense of scale and perspective to the sight.
“The lighting tells the story of a warm, calm summer evening,” Reed says, “just as dusk is approaching.” She goes on to note the quality of reflection that the silhouetted couple creates, symbolizing a state of present moment living. They are fully engaged in each other. They stand apart from, and yet are a part of, the space around them.
Reed developed her keen eye and her passion for pictures at a young age, honing her art and mastering her craft since the day she received her first camera at the age of 8. Since then, her eye grew sharper and her equipment has evolved. She went from a simple point-and-shoot 35 mm camera to the more complex gear capable of capturing the lowly-lit amphitheater, including her Nikon D-700 SLR. Her professionalism progressed from that of a young aspiring artist to the hardworking freelancer she is today, and is reflected in her extensive portfolio.
