(About SEEING)
"You see what you think, you see what you feel, you are what you see… If with the camera you can make others see it – that is photography." Ernst Haas has so nailed it down with tis sentence, this is the essence of what photography is meant to be. At first it makes me think that this is so clear, nothing more is needed to say! On the other hand it is my impression that there are so many people out there who are keen photographers, but are somehow lost with what they are doing? Why is that? Have they simply never heard this before? Or do they somehow not know how to apply this to themselves? How come so many of us are so confused about how to find themselves, how to express themselves - with photography in this case - and how to connect to others in doing so? My guess is that there is a tendency to just try and imitate what we see has been successful for others? This ultimately leads away from true and honest self-discovery, it freezes our creative output at a level of imitation and that could be the reason why it doesn't get us anywhere in the end. The most sophisticated play with equipment and technique, style, models, or props and tools will turn stale and boring after a while, if you don't dare to go beyond the superficial dazzle of effects, colors, contrasts, perspectives, manipulation in postproduction or whatever the ingredients maybe.
Work up the courage to meet yourself. Ask the questions which truly matter. You are unique as one of the 7 billion humans on this planet. Your perception is unique. Meet yourself and find out what is so special about you? What exactly is it that only you can express and convey with your photography, because only you perceive the world in this particular way? This has nothing to do with wanting to be different, you don't need to want that, you simply are! It is your very own strength, your very special gift!
It is about finding this treasure within yourself. Or let it find you? If you strive for it, you might miss the point what this is all about, because this is not a competition, but an honest journey to yourself and discovering the treasure of your own innocent and pure gift to this world. If your ego wants big things then you might have to strip that away first, before you have access to your pure self and treasure place within. You also do not have to invent something new, it is more about discovering and revealing what is already there. Ernst Haas puts it this way "The limitations in your photography are in yourself.". This also suggests to honestly face one's own limitations, because if you face them you already have made the first step to overcome them. Embrace your limitations, dare to change, dare to transform yourself - you can only gain from such courage. Freedom is waiting for you! Freedom is so much fun! It never gets boring.
Read more about
Ernst Haas
View my images
www.majamoritz.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
