Saturday, August 20, 2022
Finding Yourself in Photography
[First published on Instagram Stories]
In the age of smartphones and advanced AI, the photography industry gets a lot more competitive, because, frankly, everyone thinks they are a photographer. But over the years, this is what I realize: taking a photo is not just about snapping the shutter and capturing what you see in front of the lens.
Here is my humble take: As with any form of art, the meaningfulness behind every creation is the key to its strength. This may not be as simple as it sounds, as not everyone who aims to be an artist finds their own meaning. This originates introspectively with the notion of self: how well do you know yourself, and by that, really know yourself. For some, like me, it is a convoluted journey, and for others (think: singer/songwriter artists, prodigal musicians) perhaps the clarity comes early. The introspective journey also entails retrospection – a history, or record, a body of work to look back on to deepen self-understanding.
This can be joyous as much as it can be painful. Finding and accepting our place in the world may or may not be delightful, and we may be forced to reckon with our inner findings. Only through this we can truly know the person we see in the mirror, what our shortcomings are, and what we truly find purpose or meaning in.
Within this self-discovery comes an enlightened world-view, leading to an elevated, highly personal work of art, because we are no longer seeing simply with our eyes, but with the full meaning and purpose of why we create.
“Truly good photography is not taken from the camera, it comes from inside you, your eyes, your brain, your heart, not some cold piece of equipment.” – Fan Ho