Truthful Wonder…
Faster, brighter, higher, more dramatic, more sensationalist…always MORE!
Hyperbole has become so common-place that anything less-than is not deemed worthy of our attention. This I take exception to as it displaces reality with fantasy and skews our relationship with the world around us.
Whether in movies, documentaries, dialogue or even photography, it is often purported that modern audiences have incredibly short attention-spans. In an attempt to be heard, to be seen, there is a trend towards sensationalism and extremes. And therein lies the rub.
My objection is that this tendency normalise outliers and desensitises us to what is normal and realistic, especially when it comes to representing the natural world. Constant exposure to eye-popping content numb our senses and blunt our ability to recognise, let alone appreciate the things we did, not that long ago.
Since when is the natural, authentic truth of this stupendously extraordinary world “not enough”? Carl Sagan in his 1985 book Contact says, “There’s wonder and awe enough in the real world. Nature’s a lot better at inventing wonders than we are”.
Does anyone have the right to diminish the wondrousness of reality and replace it with some conjured contrived exaggerated replica?
As a photographer (and guide) I am always seeking to represent Nature and Life as truthfully as I can. There are moments where creating an image/interpretation is with the express intention of highlighting a specific ethereal attribute. Setting up compositions however, by manually placing subjects in specific locations/positions so as to “create” an aesthetic appeal, is not in my purview.
What fulfils me on a spiritual level, way beyond human creativity, are those fortuitous finds of unlikely uncontrived scenes.
I’d love to share some of these scenes which I was lucky enough to witness.
None of them planned, planted, enhanced or manipulated.
Just natural.
I often question whether audiences have become, or are made this way…is the tail possibly wagging the dog?
May you be judicious in what you spend your attention on and be incredibly generous with it as and when you do.
Yours in mindful truthfulness,