Contemplative Photography is an approach to picture making that has its roots in Buddhism. By contemplative we mean ‘being one with’. It happens by itself when we are immersed in what we are doing, when we are fully present.
During such moments we are oblivious of our surrounding and have lost the sense of time. Writers describe these moments when writing occurs by itself. In dancing the dance dances by itself and painters talk about the painting that paints itself. When athletes are at their peak they refer to it as being in the ‘zone’, when performance is effortless. In these moments we are free, we have landed in contemplative space where we have lost or forgotten who we are which is the basis for creativity.
Establishing such intimate contact with what we do or see can be facilitated through a discerning meditation practice, like zazen. When applied to seeing and picture making we call it contemplative photography.