STYLE | Art
Mindful
photography 1. Delight in the ordinary
Pete Lock Photography
By Tra cy Ca lder, co-fou nder of the a n nua l Close-up Photog rapher of the Yea r competition
M
indfulness is a word that’s bandied about a lot these days, but there seems to be some confusion as to what it actually means. Basically, mindfulness means paying attention. Most photographers (and artists) would argue that they are already mindful, but none of us is completely immune to the monkey chatter that babbles away inside our heads. We might be composing a picture when an internal voice shouts, ‘That’s rubbish, don't even bother,’ so we put our cameras away and move on. When our mind is full of judgements, thoughts, feelings and emotions, there is no room for creative thinking, but when we acknowledge these thoughts and let them pass, we make space for moments of perception to occur. The following exercises are designed to encourage a more mindful approach to photography.
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styleofwight.co.uk
Photographer Diane Arbus once said, ‘The Chinese have a theory that you pass through boredom into fascination, and I think it’s true.’ One way of achieving this state of heightened awareness is to select a ‘boring’ subject such as a kettle, brush or, in this instance, a boat hull, and shoot it from as many angles as possible. Notice any lines, textures, patterns, shapes or shadows and how they relate to one another. If you experience boredom, just acknowledge this feeling and carry on. Bembridge Harbour is a great place to practise your skills.
2. Stay well connected Everything is connected. Think about the elements required to support a tree: the roots to absorb moisture and minerals from the soil, the trunk that supports the limbs and the bark that protects it from external attack. A tree needs sunlight to trigger photosynthesis, rain for moisture and wind to disperse its seeds. In reality, nothing is ever truly isolated – use this knowledge to inform your work. Examples of interconnectedness can be found all around you, but areas such as Nodes Point (with its rockpools) and Parkhurst Forest (with its patches of ancient woodland) are great places to start.
