Category Archives: Articles

Perceiving directly happens prior to any conceptualization by oneself, prior to any deliberate photographic action. One could say the picture is taken before you take it. We take for granted that it is the I or you who takes the picture. By identifying with the attitude of a hunter in pursuit of images we build a fence around …

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There is an old principle that says “what you resist persists”. The concepts or ideas we have about originality imprison us and don’t allow creativity to flow. They become barriers to seeing – they limit us. The way through a barrier is to be the barrier. Robert Frost suggested something similar: “The best way out is always through”. Using this paradoxical approach helps to switch from seeing conceptually to perceiving directly.

When we encounter art we are engaged in a way of seeing that goes beyond the conventional, beyond what can be conceptualized and defined. It means one has to allow oneself to be open as much as possible. With practice, we facilitate this switch to seeing creatively and recognize that appreciation and creation of art have a common root.

Boredom is part of the human condition. Instead of avoiding and rejecting it the author suggests to work with it in creatively. Paying close attention to boredom affects one’s life. Applied to photography it allows for a different perspective and changes the quality of our pictures.

A. Koestler talks about conflicts that can not be solved by logic or reason. Because they have no rational solution they play a fundamental role in creativity. To transcend the impasse they create, the author suggests a contemplative approach, allowing photography to have a spiritual foundation.