Color and Texture
The Pracitice of Contemplative Photography has a series of exercises that engage the method described in the book. This pic is an example of my blending of the color and texture exercise. Rust has a qualities of both to me. I think I even got in the exercise for Light…ooo 3 exercises for the price of 1 shot.
Book Review: The Practice of Contemplative Photography – part 1
In the past few months, reading the standard Zen or Buddhism book has gotten really stale for me. So, rather than another book, I began looking for something to do with my hands and I found my old hobby of photography was calling me back. It seemed like a natural method of practice as I like photography. Specifically I like coming across scenes of people, places and things in a non-contrived or “dressed up” state. Well, as the Universe would have it, another book was headed my way, but this one perfectly dovetails with what I’ve been up to.
I was asked to review The Practice of Contemplative Photography by Andy Karr and Michael Wood.
I tend to read slow and digest books like this and I wanted to try something different in terms of the review. Instead of doing one big review at the end, I want to do a “rolling” review that takes more than one post to complete and follows me along as I read the book. Currently, I’m up to chapter 13.
This book is a practical exploration of Buddhist practice through its application in photography. Actually, it’s almost difficult to just say that it’s about taking pictures. It might be more accurate to say they are describing the contemplative practice of seeing. Early on, they say “…the camera registers only what is seen. It does not record mental fabrications”. “Labeling things ‘beautiful’ and ‘ugly’ masks what they really look like”. Now ain’t that some Buddhist thought in action?
As you can see, very early on the authors are building a firm Buddhist base to work from. From here they move into a three step process for seeing more clearly…long before you even take up the camera to form the picture. First is Flash of Perception…that moment when you ‘lose your place in your story’ and see the suchness/thusness/absolute reality of what’s in your line of vision. Second is Visual Discernment or quietly taking in the scene without adding any of your conceptions to it and absorbing the depth of what is before you. Lastly is picking up the camera and taking the picture in such a way that nothing is added and nothing is lost…no fancy lighting or camera angles, just Forming the Image.
Another major theme is approaching photography in a mind atmosphere that is uncontrived, simple, and elegant. In an effort to help solidify these concepts, there are exercises along the way (only SOME of them having to do with taking pictures). I was really pleased to see exercises that didn’t mention using any device other than my own eyes and brain. This is what I meant early on by saying this is really a book about contemplative seeing.
I can see from jumping ahead a little bit that there is some practical mechanical talk (aperture, shutter speed, etc), but for now I’ve been immersed in the philosophy of thought that is making this book a delicious read. For now I’m going to end this first part of my examination of this book and I’m going to leave you with some pictures inspired by or reminiscent of what I’ve read so far.
