Out of Focus
I’d never really appreciated photography before. In fact, I’ve always kind of considered it a nuisance.
I hate posing for pictures, and loathe the idea of missing a ‘real-life’ moment to capture a cheap replica of it that you may or may not ever look at again. The idea of ‘documenting’ one’s life (especially on social media) has always seemed to me so vapid, so shallow.
Even ‘real’ photography—gritty cityscapes, gorgeous landscapes—seemed like a ‘lesser’ art to me. What skill is involved in snapping a photo, compared to meticulously drawing or painting an image?
In short, I was biased, and bitterly so.
Over the weekend, John and I went out taking photographs in Calvary Cemetery. If you’d like to read more about this experience, John wrote a great piece on it here.
I have a tendency to be stubborn, and a bit of a downer (shocker). Right away I had this idea that he was going to be the one taking the pictures. That photography just wasn’t my thing, and I therefore had no interest in even trying it.
Something strange happened, though. As we were walking around looking for photos to be used as the covers to articles and whatnot, I realized that it was kind of fun.
More than that—I realized I was wrong about photography altogether. I’d believed that taking photographs detracted from the ‘present moment.’ But actually, looking out for photo opportunities actually somehow helps you see the world more clearly—and more purposefully—than anything else.
Every view is an art piece, or at least a potential art piece. You start noticing little things, like the way a tree perfectly frames a landscape, or the way a lawn full of gravestones can look like soldiers when shrouded in darkness.
Photography isn’t a stale, lifeless art—it’s a glimpse into how someone sees the world.
There were ‘shots’ that I’d see in my head that I’d tell John to come and capture, only for him to come and take a completely different photograph. We were looking at the same cemetery, but we saw two completely different things.
Another thing I realized is that often, the best pictures are accidents.
To all of the souls who died to make my epiphany possible, rest in peace.
Thank you for a sharing a quiet evening with us this weekend.