I can’t think of a time in my life that has been more disconcerting than this last year. The pandemic and the disruption to our daily routine. We don’t work the same, we don’t socialize in the same way, we don’t go out or see friends or family. We are certainly in strange and uncertain times, a situation that brings anxiety to many.
I’ve discovered that for me the disquiet of our time is calmed by the camera. I’ve learned that spending some time exploring some part of the world through the lens takes me away from the chaos and uncertainty and brings me back to center. It doesn’t matter if I just take a walk around the kitchen in the warm morning light or grab the camera and spend a few minutes just outside the front door seeing what the siding looks like in the rain, if I take some photographs, it helps push disquiet away.
Moving my cognition over to the right side of my brain – the creative side – lifts the weight of the world from me. How about you? Do you find that raising the camera to your eye is a component of helping you create balance in your life? Let me know what your routine is below or on the podcast Facebook page.
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I find that the act of photographing takes a certain amount of what I call “bandwidth” or “brain space” and that doing so does allow me to block out, at least temporarily, those thoughts that try to shove themselves to the front of the line. And not just while I am photographing, but as soon as I start thinking about it. When I decide where to go, what lens to take, what to look for, etc. I start the creative process right then, and it doesn’t end when I get home and put the camera away. For me the next part of the journey is “seeing what I got” and spending some time in front of the computer.
As you know, Kathy & I have managed to keep up a fair amount of travel over the last several months, and while we’ve now “hunkered down” for the winter, I have plenty of material to keep me occupied, processing hundreds of images from our recent road trip and visits to places closer to home. I have a number of projects in mind to use the images I already have, and I know that creating and updating those projects will give me inspiration for the future. Partly inspired by your previous episode I have been paying more attention to nearby places where I can still exercise my eye and my shutter finger.
I’ve always found your Camera Position episodes to be a nice little nudge to get me out of whatever creative funk I may have found myself in, and I for one am glad to see your return!
Thank you, sir! And thanks for the kind words and support.
You’re right – it’s the whole process, isn’t it? Loading the bag with what you think you’ll need (which is almost always one item shy of what you really wish you had) and where to go and what you might see and then the whole process of being engaged by what you do see. In any case, I’m glad you find the same thing – thinking of something other than the way the world is helps to push the madness to the side – at least for a while.
Certainly following the news this year is not a source of solace!
I do find that focusing on some aspect of photography has been a source of stability and (probably) calmness for me over the past past months; that definitely takes my mind off of other things! Since travel is not an option, I’ve found many photo-related things to do here. For instance, I’ve organized a number of my prints into portfolio folders, rather than keeping them in boxes, so I can view them at my pleasure. Plus, reviewing them gives me ideas for new themes or just adding to existing portfolios. Creating a printed book or two was also something that kept me busy, and there’s one or two in the making for early 2021.
As winter weather sets in here in the Northwest (can you say “grey”? 😉 ) , I’ve been reviewing my B&W images taken in the area and plan to concentrate on shooting in B&W this winter. To that end, I’m trying a few film simulations in my FujiFilm X100V (which I carry with me almost everywhere) to see what looks I prefer.
Lastly, keep up the good work with Camera Position. It’s good to hear your thoughts again; they always lead me to thing about photography more deeply, or start something new.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for your podcasts, I listened to all of them for some weeks. Is nice to find a new one today. I look for that kind of listen for learning English and photograph too. I feel that I “digging” a little bit deeper into the photograph for your views of the photograph’s podcast. Not remember all and not understand all your words but some take hold of my mind, hope them coming to automate my photograph.
Is difficult to find more that kind of information and an open mind view of photographs.
Markku
Thank you, Markku! I appreciate that you’re listening. I’ll try not to make too many English mistakes! 🙂
Dave! Thank you for your continued support and your regular “nudge” to help me get back in front of the mic.
That idea of being able to look at your work in printed form on a regular basis is a big deal – it provides a lot of visceral feedback that you just don’t get on a screen.
Keep a-goin’.
Jeff Curto wishing you a Happy New year ! as for my routine I replay a lot of the History of photography podcasts .
other podcast like the candid frame with Ibarionex Perello
Then maybe work on some lighting and set ups in the “studio”
I’m still shooting film and I have a few projects with those and Hope to start going forward by going back and using other processes , But I’m always grateful to hear your lessons and voice . I hope you might still do your Italian work shops soon
Carl Warren Photography