Blade of Grass © 2010 Bo Mackison
(Third in a series on why I chose photography as my creative medium and the basis of a new career.)
#3. Photography is my reminder to “Don’t Look; Really See!”
When I look at just a tiny bit of my world, I feel so privileged that I can see so many things. Most people pass by and never see many of the things that I see. Sometimes I focus on a tiny piece of the world measured in inches, perhaps only an inch or two square. Sometimes I focus on a single blade of grass. I notice its shape, its color, how it moves in the breeze, how it leans at a rather precarious angle, how it tangles into the earth with millions of other blades of grass.
Or I might study how a flower has managed to thrive in a bit of dirt in the sidewalk crack. Or notice that a lacy, yellowed leaf has fallen in the middle of a worn path and been crumpled by people’s passing feet.
When I concentrate on seeing so intently, so deeply, it makes the passage of time almost meaningless. I tend to push aside other concerns in my life, and so for a few moments all I do is see. At times, my photography practice becomes almost meditative in nature.
I try to capture some of what I see in photographs, and share my tiny visions with others so that they, too, may begin to notice.
No wonder that each night when I write in my gratitude journal I often write that I am thankful that I can see, thankful that I can crawl upon the ground and get up again, thankful that I have the privilege of examining my world.
And I am always thankful that I have discovered photography. If nothing else, the addition of photography to my life has opened my eys to a new world, has slowed my life a bit and made me more observant…and has made me very, very grateful.
About Bo Mackison
Very well articulated, Bo. I understand and completely agree! You are taking your photography to a higher level and a different place than I am and I applaud you for that. You are doing it well. The basics though are much the same and I also thank photography for facilitating a vast new expansion of my vision and understanding of the natural world.
Amazing how much the natural world comes more alive under the focus of a camera lens. Your mountains come alive for me when I see your photography, too. It’s a great way to share our respective worlds – and it expands our lives so much.
And there’s nothing better to convey your words than that lovely abstract photo. A simple blade of grass has become a work of art.
Yes, a single blade of grass. It really is a work of art.
It is fun to see with a photographer’s eye. Things are so different. The smoke billowing up from a car burning oil as it crests the hill with a sunset behind it, a dog’s paw, a reflection in the water of one skipping rocks, and etc.
Remember life before we carried cameras, Preston? I remember mine – I missed a lot, never realized I wasn’t seeing what I thought I was looking at.
Ditto, Ditto, Ditto. 🙂
You’ve captured beautifully some of the reasons I love photography. 🙂
Ditto, too.
In my particular instance, I’m grateful that that I now have the TIME to “stop and smell (photograph) the roses.” My life B.C. (before camera) was so hectic, rushed, and chaotic.
I love the image you chose to accompany this post. And, I’m loving this series on “Why Photography.” Thank you, Bo.