The Moment
Travelling as a Photographer - being present in the moment vs documenting it
I’ve been sitting on this post for far longer than I should have, from my experience as a subscriber on Substack I feel like this is probably the hardest point - getting your second post out after taking the plunge into the depths of the Substack pool without really considering how you swim in it regularly.
Having decided to write about Photography and Travel - I have plenty I could be starting with. What I’d really like to start with is a little musing on being in the Moment.
This is something all creatives in varying degrees struggle with in the course of their careers, especially those who spend time behind the lens of a camera bringing unique moments to others. So how do we find the balance of experiencing things as they happen and making sure we capture the ‘perfect’ moment for others to enjoy too?
Looking back at memories captured by the photographs we take is the closest we will ever get to time travel, to relive a moment or special memory is a magical tool photography gives us. But when we begin to feel like we’re looking back through a filter or can only remember a holiday or special event when reviewing images does that mean we’re sacrificing an experience, of being present for the chance to relive the past again in the future.
When I travel to new cities or countries I often think about this, how do we experience new and exciting things for the first time and still make sure we fully immerse ourselves in what is happening around us. This compulsive need to snap, document to say ‘look! I was there!’
Our biggest enemy - and friend - as photographers these days is probably the pocket sized cameras we carry around with us at all times. Camera phone technology means we can always get ‘the shot’ even if we chose to leave our SLR(or mirrorless!) camera behind - something I’m definitely guilty of quite often, it’s just too easy now. And so we snap away, just incase - afraid to not have those moments we can look back on.
‘To Collect Photographs is to collect the world’ - Susan Sontag, On Photography
I just can’t decide if all of it is a bad habit or just what we are all used to now in this overstimulating tech heavy world we can’t escape? Can we escape it, can we fully be in the moment and how do we as photographers mindfully stay in that moment whilst still documenting it for others.
Some will argue that as photographers we have trained to wait for the perfect moment to capture, and in this way we develop patience, notice the small details and changes in the light others may not and of course, can make a split second decision on when and how to capture that memory. Does this mean we are being present and experiencing a moment more completely to do this as we document?
Let me know your thoughts.