Thursday, January 29, 2015

Contemplative Photography

Buddhist philosophy has a concept called 'Seeing things as they are'. This means looking at things and not judging them. For example, you see a red traffic sign. Probably, most people, in their busy worlds, will not even see the sign. If they do, they may only register it as a mundane object. The contemplative photographer see's the red as it is, and appreciates it for what it is. This way of seeing, opens the photographers eyes to beauty, symmetry and all aspects of life. All you have to do is look.



For this set of pictures, made I sure I took my time and really tried to look carefully. One of the greatest photographers of all time Henri Cartier-Bresson coined a phrase The Decisive Moment. Which is a way of explaining when a photographer makes a picture and why. The next picture, I was hoping for something to happen in the frame, maybe someone walking across it. To add to the composition, but it was really cold, and that put me off waiting longer! So patience and timing and meditating are all vital skills for the photographer.





Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The Himalayan Boy and the TV Set

Is an excellent thought provoking, beautifully photographed documentary about Laya, a village in Bhutan in the Himalayas. It is seen through the eyes of an eight year old boy Peyangki. It documents the traditional versus the march of civilisation, as electricity and a road enter the village.

I laughed at this scene where Peyangkis Uncle and his wife have a 'domestic'. The uncle has travelled three days out, and three days back, sold a yak to buy a TV.



"Calm down" He says? How can you calm down from being the calmest person in the world?

Full Movie


Monday, January 26, 2015

Two posts in two days! Who'd a thought it?

I have recently started on a new buddhist course. It's from the Shambhala tradition, which has Tibetan and Hindu traditions. Specifically I am following the methods from a book by B. Alan Wallace called The Attention Revolution. It is a ten stage mindfulness and meditation program.

Stage one is called Directed Attention. You meditate by focusing on the breath. When you are able to do this, if only for a few seconds, then you have achieved directed attention. The book recommends twenty four minute meditations, I am not sure why this duration, but it is a nice number. I managed the twenty four minutes today and I am feeling very pleased with myself! In my opinion (and zen masters) modern living has seriously messed up our ability to concentrate and be still. I am hoping to achieve better mental focus, keep depression at bay and generally become a better person using this method.

I am also going to use the method in my photography. Becoming more contemplative in what I see, and how I see.




Thought it might be time for another post. It's only been a few years. My daughters stumbled across it somehow.