The state of mind of the photographer
while creating is a blank.
It is a very active state of mind really,
a very receptive state of mind,
ready at an instant to grasp an image,
yet with no image pre-formed
in it at any time.
Such a state of mind is not unlike
a sheet of film itself—
seemingly inert, yet so sensitive
that a fraction of a second’s exposure
conceives a life in it.
Minor White
while creating is a blank.
It is a very active state of mind really,
a very receptive state of mind,
ready at an instant to grasp an image,
yet with no image pre-formed
in it at any time.
Such a state of mind is not unlike
a sheet of film itself—
seemingly inert, yet so sensitive
that a fraction of a second’s exposure
conceives a life in it.
Minor White
I photographed after a heavy snowfall. The woods were dense enough, and the snow deep enough, that I was never quite sure what I’d find when I walked from the road, lowered my head beneath those first branches, and stepped into the middle of that timbered canopy. I took seriously Minor White’s observation about maintaining a state of mind that is as blank as possible.
I have learned that when I try too hard, the “goal of blank” becomes too much an active goal and the blankness too easily recedes. Then just when I think it may be gone, and I turn to walk out of the woods, it sometimes hits me—a sudden appearance that says, “Hi!”
The click of the shutter is my way of saying “hi” right back.
February 28, 2008 at 7:08 am |
A warm smile
at the exercise (or lack thereof) of your thoughts
and the delightful resulting image.