Photography

“Photography is nothing short of a miracle; a window into humanity, and a time machine in our pocket.”

While sitting in a picturesque, instagramable library called Starfield in Seoul, South Korea, sipping on a warm latte, and observing all these people running around frantically taking photos of the place, I had this realization:

Photography is less about the actual process of taking photos and more about mindfully observing a subject. Whether it is captured or not isn’t the point.

Reflection

I can think of no better use of the common phrase, “quality over quantity” than in photography. What defines a gifted photographer or any artist for that matter, is quality creations not mere quantity of works.

I believe that playing the numbers game is not art, it’s business (and it ought to belong there).

It’s like when Ben Stiller in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty encounters a world-renowned photographer in some epic mountain range waiting for a rare snow leopard to emerge from a cave.

Upon finally seeing the leopard emerge from the cave, the seasoned photographer decides not to take the photo he’s waited so long for, but rather to observe the leopard in reverence and awe.

It’s observation, not capture that is the point of that scene. The greatest photos on Earth, I’d defend, are not taken at all.

I’ve been capturing moments ever since my father gave in and gave me his old Canon XTi when I was about 11 years old.

From then on I absolutely fell in love with the process of photography, but more importantly, the act of observation through the camera’s lens. A separation from the outside world and my perspective of it.

Naturally, I’m a horribly and easily distracted person, making observation quite a task, but with a daily meditation practice, photography became more of a mindful activity than a creative endeavor.

As in all forms of art, there comes quite a bit of praise and criticism, which I found difficult to navigate until I remembered, “Oh shit, this has nothing to do with the photo, but rather the seconds or even minutes before the photo”. I realized the point was to pause, think back, and tell a story.

And I began thinking about my thinking when I captured a certain photo. Remembering all that took place inside and outside my head.

Then I wrote long, descriptive captions on almost every photo I published on Instagram (not the most common approach mind you).

I want to show those who stumble upon my memories that there is so much more going on behind the photo than the photo itself can capture.

Encouragement

From the simplest drop of rain sliding down a window pane to the awestruck beauty of the Northern Lights or the sighting of a rare and beautiful thing, there are so many moments of paralyzing awe.

I encourage us to observe ourselves observing the world around us. What moments are meant to simply be observed and what moments call us to capture, caption, and share?

It is knowing that those moments that stop us in our tracks and require our entire attention are the same moments not meant to be captured. 

With a little bit of mindfulness, you’ll be surprised by the amount of those moments in a single day.

I am so thankful for the journey in photography I’ve taken since picking up a camera 18 years ago and so excited for a new chapter in observing this big, beautiful, strange, and ever-changing world.

Want to see and read some of the moments I did choose to capture? They are sprawled all over my Instagram.

Links

1. The scene from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
2. The evolution of photography
3. The way to take an amazing photo

Thank you deeply for your time and attention in reading this post, it is a rare gift these days. Feel free to comment, like, and share it. You can also support me by Buying Me A Coffee. Thank you in advance!