Often, photographers are motivated by obsessive requirement to catch the moment to be productive at all costs. Recently, however, I resumed a film which had a different reflection, one I would like to share with you today. It is the beauty of not shooting, to immerse yourself completely in the moment, and re -find the pure bliss of observation, which eventually leads photographers to better photos.
A reflection inspired by a film scene
Photographer: “A snow leopard is perfect in this ridge. Therefore, we have to try to be very, very, very, still, still. They call the snow leopard a ghost cat. It is never seen itself.”
Walter: “Ghost Cat?”
Photographer: “Beautiful things do not ask for attention.”
,
Walter: “When are you going to take it?”
Photographer: “Sometimes I never do. If I like a moment … I mean, I, personally … I don’t like the distraction of the camera. I just want to live in it.”
Walter: “Stay in it?”
Photographer: “Yes, right there. Here.”
The dialogue is taken from the film “The Secret Life of Walter Miti” released in 2013. It is a good film, even though it is not particularly notable for its photography related materials. It certainly contains some odd details, such as the use of a Nikon F3 with a motor drive, seems to, a Nikon Af-S 400 mm f/2.8 g, which does not match the camera (and, by the way, could not provide the level of magnifications shown in the film).
But in the scene, in the dialogue, it really explains a special knowledge that I would like to share and comment with you. Scene O’Conel – Photographer played by an attractive Sean Paine – strongly resembles the Vincent Munier. He is waiting with Walter Miti on a Himalayan slope. He stands in front of his “holy grille”: elusive snow leopard. He has a camera ready, the situation is perfect, and the subject.
Nevertheless, when asked, “When are you going to take it?” His response is a philosophical manifesto: “Never -me.” In these words, there is no laziness or hesitation, but a conscious and deep option. An option that invites us to reflect our relationship with images, and with the world we want to portray through our photos.
“Ghost cat” and the value of appearance
Snow leopard, “Ghost Cat”, is not only for an elusive theme, but also for this time: an indispensable combination of status, light, emotion and appearance that makes a scene worth living.
In this film, photographer Sean tells us that the ultimate goal of his long and difficult journey is not necessarily a picture, but an encounter. Printed image (and yes, I print my pictures and think of photography as a paper cheese) only proof, one will For othersBut the experience is completely for the person who lives it.
“Beautiful things do not ask for attention,” they say. This is a powerful phrase. Authentic beauty does not pose, does not cry to catch. It is not required; Bus Is present,
Instead, our instinct as photographers – almost Pavlovian in the digital age – using a device and “capturing it”, almost as it has. Nevertheless, contradictory, trying to save the moment, we often lose it. We are busy adjusting the exposure, checking the focus, thinking about the composition, and in doing so, we stop Going there, And our focus turns from the actual view on one filtered through the viewfinder.
Instead, the decision of the scene of “living in it” reflects an option to focus on direct sensory experiences without emotional relations and technical mediation. This involves prioritizing living in the moment of capturing digitally.
Loss of digital-social compulsion and connection
It is around us: we live in the era of visual gluttony. Everyone takes films and photos all the time, everything. The places we eat, the places we see, we meet. Digital gallery overflow with thousands of images that will rarely be seen again. Even on the most “photographic” social platforms such as Instagram, the most incredible images are best obtained in only a few seconds meditation and perhaps thousands of choices, each depending on those 2 seconds. This compulsion to share every single moment and this compulsion often stems from a subtle anxiety: fear of forgetting, the fear that an unintended experience is an unintended specified, fear that it will not tell our story without posting it on our favorite social stage, without posting it on our favorite social stage.
But the opposite is true.
The photographer who loves one who paints should be found in the simple task of seeing and enjoying, taking time to do so. Love for the mountain is not love for mountain photos, but its cold air, its silence, its brilliant appearance, for its harsh and wild nature. In this perspective, the camera can become a barrier, a constant filter between us and we love the most; “The distraction of the camera”, as the scene, is real and transforms us from the participants to the audience, from lovers to technicians.
As a very emotional photographer, I am not saying that the scene is perfect. After all, he is just one character in a film. And in many ways, whatever efforts we make in our photography, it is really dedicated to capturing those rare instant and sensations using our equipment, perhaps in the hope that others would feel something like we did in the area. But I am sure that it is paramount to maintain a good relationship with our subject, which also gives us better pictures.
Overview to understand – Waiting as a creative act
I remember for the first time to take a picture of a polar bear in the Arctic. It was around 3 pm with the midnight sun. An important experience I dreamed for years.
I took thousands of frames, burst after bursting, before I felt that I was not completely attached to the moment. The theme was very beautiful, but my photos were not extraordinary because I was focusing so much on the view -sightedness that I was unable to stop and understand the scene outside the frame setup. I failed to experience the subtleties of light, light blue colors in the ice in the background, and air patterns on sea water, herbs of swimming snow. I remembered the understanding of the polar bear’s rhythm and its interaction with the environment.
Finally, I was missing how and why a polar bear is unique.
It is not only about those extraordinary subjects. Allotment of time to establish a connection is more common with the subjects faced more generally. This allows you to slow down, experiment and be unrelated about photos – which, perhaps contradictory, means that it means better photos.
Common the concept, the optimal image often does not cause a view from the initial response of the photographer or their rapid frame burst. Rather, it is the result of a process in which waiting, connecting, understanding the moment, observing the scene, and appreciating it with our naked eyes before and during the shot. These are all stages Making meaningful pictures.
This approach may seem less favorable for action photography, but I do not think it is. Given which lens to use, how to frame, and identify the exact moment, while observing is a useful practice in pre-articides when observing. Even if the peak of action is brief, it is our observation of the world that enables us to identify what is going to happen, prepare for it, and take a picture when it comes.
conclusion
Scene O’Conel’s lesson from Himalaya ridge Walter Miti Photography has an invitation to re -find the heart. The task of not using the camera and selecting “living” in the scene instead allows us to be photographed with a pure gaze, a clear intention and a strong bond with the subject. This reminds us that being a photographer does not mean how to use the camera and understand how to build a picture. It is known how to see – and, even before, to know why what you love, because a love for your subject is the secret component of any beautiful photo.
After all, through looking at the world, we will achieve better, meaningful images with the overall less photos.
I hope this essay has encouraged you to take a deep connection with the themes of your photos, appreciating the experience of joining them. Do you have any inquiry or response, or want to share your views on the subject, please feel free to leave a comment in the section below.
