(William Blake)

Perhaps in taking photographs we are trying to ‘bind’ the moment to ourselves and in so doing ‘destroy’ it.

The other side of the coin is the pleasure of the photo album with friends…the weddings, the baptisms, the rites of passage,Christmas pageants and birthdays, the aunts and uncles in their youthful prime who passed on before we were even born, ourselves and others as children, adolescents. Here Soul is nourished with nostalgia, memory and reflection, rather then the the needs of the Spirit for timeless eternity, the perfection of the eternal present, escape form all the constarints of what it perceieves as projections, assumptions, maya.

‘There is a time for the evening under starlight,
A time for the evening under lamplight
(The evening with the photograph album)’.

(T S Eliot ‘East Coker’)

For me neither is better, but part of the eternal dance between Spirit and Soul. The Spirit’s recognition of the present moment in all its pristine intensity and the Soul”s imagination, rooted in stories and images of the past. The evening under starlight and the evening under lamplight, both necessary.
.-= jeff´s last blog ..Medicine Buddha =-.

I did something similar at a wedding recently. I watched most of the best man’s speech through my camera’s LCD as I tried to capture it on video, and realized I was totally missing the very thing that I thought was too important not to have on video! I was watching a tiny 3-inch version of it when it was there, live. So I put it away and just watched, and felt relieved.

I first picked up a digital camera several years ago, and was immediately hooked. Photography has since grown into one of my greatest passions, and I take my camera practically everywhere.

Now, I really wish this post came out before June 20th, when Coldplay came to Vancouver, because I could of used the advice!

In the months prior to the concert, my bank account was pretty close to zero, and without some last minute babysitting jobs, I wouldn’t have had enough money for the ticket. Anyways, on the night 20th, I was exuberant. Not only did I have good seats, but I’d have my good camera as well — which of course would result in photos better than anyone else with their little cellphone cams. All I can say is that by the time I got home I was heartbroken; I had watched at least 1/3 of the concert through my Canon’s LCD screen. And all for what? Proof? Gloating? To be honest, I’m not really sure, because the photo’s didn’t even turn out that great.

Basically, what I’m trying to say, is that you’re dead on. JPEGs and pixels will NEVER outdo what you’ve got stored in the mind.
.-= Jess´s last blog ..Peas Today, Potatoes Tomorrow =-.

Chris — Very insightful as always Chris. It’s really about attachment, not photography, and attachment creates suffering. There is a certain kind of sadness I was trying to describe, the kind you might get when you are experiencing something that you know will not last.

Lori — I really have to try taking a trip without a camera someday. So far I’ve only done that by accident. But when I do I do feel a bit freer and lighter.

Suzen — We do all have state-of-the-art recording devices mounted on our necks, it’s true.

Glen — Thanks Glen. And thanks to Lisis for her nomination ;)

Josh — What a nice thing to say Josh. Glad you liked it.

Kim — Quite often I take a trip and end up taking very few pictures. I just can’t be bothered, and after a few days I just give up on the idea of documenting the trip with photographs.

http://www.personalhq.com/story/15
.-= Glen Allsopp´s last blog ..Reaching Cloud 9 Doesn’t Require Clouds 1-8 =-.