civilized ku # 1191 ~ an addendum to "all that there is"
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:18PM 
Tonsorial Parlor ~ Plattsburgh, NY • click to embiggenI previously quoted Einstein and his thoughts, re: his "attempt to grasp with my mind a mere image of the lofty structure of all that there is", in an effort to help explain my attraction to picturing anything and everything (all that there is). Considering the following quote, apparently Stieglitz and Adams-the-greater are of a similar mind ...
Stieglitz would never say that certain objects of the world were more or less beautiful than others-telegraph poles, for instance, compared with oak trees. He would accept them for what they are, and use the most appropriate objects to express his thoughts and convey his vision. ~ Ansel Adams
IMO, this (w)holistic MO to what to picture is a very wholesome, rewarding and fun manner in which to approach one's picture making endeavors. I mean, think about it ... everything is fair picture making game, making the whole world your picture making oyster.
No waiting to get to a specific location, no waiting for the "right" light, no whining about lack of opportunity for a "great" shot, and, much to one's chagrin, no excuses for not making good pictures. Because, everywhere is your location, everything is your referent, the "light" is just the light, and good pictures are everywhere for the making.
When you get down to brass tacks, it's really all about being in the moment - any moment, any where - and allowing your eyes to be, as Henry Wessel stated, "far ahead of your thoughts ... not looking for something ... you are open, receptive ... at some point you are in front of something that you cannot ignore."
I can attest to that approach inasmuch as I find myself "in front of something that I cannot ignore" all the time simply because I have no thoughts of what to picture or not to picture cluttering up my mind or my eyes. As Bob Dylan croons, it's all good.
In any event, and all of that said, it' really is liberating to think like Edward Weston when he stated:
Anything that excites me, for any reason, I will photograph...
Reader Comments (1)
What you are describing is, I think, much akin to the Taoistic concept of unconstricted awareness. Have you been reading the Chuang-tzu?