Since a few years I have had personal rule to lug around my camera bag to as many places as I possible. You never know which turn around a corner will reveal a once in a lifetime photo opp. I guess I picked up the habit from my mother, she would make us stand in front of every major landmark to snap the shutter and preserve the memory forever. In our constant pursuit of happiness It is human nature to keep the good times rollin'’, so I guess I don't blame her for it. We have countless boxes of pictures at my house. But in today's world of digital photography we have cameras in the rims of laptop screens, on the backs of our tiny cell phones and even a ten year old kid can buy one from Toys"R"us. Many people argue that photography alters the way we preserve memories in our brain. As soon as we see something beautiful or worthwhile we try to remember it through the lens of a camera. So our memories are replaced by snap shots we take on the fly.
As I took this portrait of Bugsy, I noticed a few other tourists were doing the same in the background. I wonder if this is how I will remember Time Square, I hope not.
So . . . I have decided to amend my rule of "lugging around the camera". I will make a more conscious effort to make more concrete memories before I start figuring out what aperture I should use.
8 comments:
Wow, those are the kind of deep thoughts we went into back in some of my grad school ethnomusicology classes, discussing subjectivity vs. objectivity, how different individuals frame their experiences, etc. How the simple introduction of a recording device can even change the entire fabric of the event.
I've also seen evidence of it in my own life, especially when a child is born and the gut reaction is to save every moment possible on film and/or videotape... But the best memories are the ones that didn't seem "important enough" for a camera at the time and aren't around in any concrete form.
excellent post Khalid. I agree with you. I remember one day in the city you asked me in shock, "You don't have your camera?" Nope, I didn't. Maybe I was one step ahead of you, nah. But I think to myself about the memories vs. the camera. And then when I do pick up my camera I produce better results.
I remember when I studied aborad in Europe for six weeks, and I was just attached to my camera. When I put it down for a day and came back to it everything was fresh again. But anyways...
Thanks for coming out with us! I love how this picture is framed. Has more impact with only half of that guys face, whoever it is.
peace.
Julie: Just as a parent might try to capture a child's special moments the kid also tries to preserve the most prominent happenings. I don't have experience parenting a kid lik you do but I remember small events like my first day out to the movies or when my parents took us out for pizza (american food was a big deal in Pakistan) and other bizzare things. Maybe you should try to get a paper published on memories and i can search you up on www.scholar.google.com.... rock
J S: I definitey go through periods in my life when I put my camera away and don't pick it back up till I feel the creative juices (paki potion) flowing again. but in addition another observation I have made is that when I am alone with my camera I tend to take better pictures. When I am walking with a group of people I always feel bad holding people back to snap a shot.
do you agree?
PS I don't know who that guy is but I heard him talk on the phone once with a special lady ... and he is smooooooth.
IRUM!!!!
I miss your blog.
thanks for the comment, I can show you how to make a picture look like that if you want.
fabulous picture, fabulous text. see, i read your blog.
p.s-i want you to send me my alanis morissette music via the www sometime. please and thank you.
hope all is well
OOH MAMA
I love it when those closet readers pop out once in a while.
It makes me feel so good.
The transfer of the "good" will have to happen over AIM.
i also wore my birkenstocks without socks yesterday. i'm sure that makes you feel good too. i laughed because you would wear the exact same outfit i was wearing. does that make me more of a boy or you more of a girl???
it makes neither of us boys or girls
it just proves that you want to be more and more like me.
birkenstocks
patagonia
no socks
biking
vegetarianism
good music
BAM!!!!!
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