Green Between

Minolta A1
image altered in Adobe Photoshop Elements

I was visiting a friend's house and took time to photograph this moss that intrigued me between the bricks that was set off by the very bright light of the noon sun. I got a quizzical look from my friend of course when she saw me pointing the camera down at her patio, at macro distance - about a foot, and concentrating on getting the focus.

When I am interested in a particular subject visually I become so engrossed in looking at it and thinking about the various factors that might go into taking a photo that I become oblivious to other things going on around me. I've noticed this in others to - as an example a good friend who trully loves photography is often left way behind on hikes when he decides to take a photo and his family get tired of waiting for him.

Another humorous example of disregarding socially appropriate behavior for the sake of a photo happened to me a few weeks ago. While walking the dog, I had noticed some very beautiful japanese maple seed pods in a nearby front yard. I returned the next morning at about the same time to take a photo of them with the light transluminating the pods and I was there about 2 minutes trying to get a good shot when the owner of the home came out to inquire what I was doing. I had of course been hovering quietly behind her tree with a camera and must have seemed like a stalker! I apologized and explained what I was doing, but by the time I returned to the shot my camera battery had conveniently to died (I was using the old Nikon with 4 AAs as the Minolta was visiting Laredo.) I did not dare to return with fresh batteries for fear that I might have to explain myself to the police!

I think this aspect of losing oneself to the photo, the capacity to step out of one's usual sense of time, is very relaxing and hypnotic. I am pretty sure my pulse and blood pressure must drop when I can concentrate on a photo. The practice of giving myself, or perhaps my wife giving me, a protected segment of time to go and take photos has been very enjoyable and good for my mental health.

10/23 update - here is a link to an article in Nature Photographers Online Magazine by Guy Tal that eloquently describes the beauty of getting lost in a visual, or any experience, and how the creative process develops through the familiarity that comes with such experience.