Someone asked me that question yesterday . . . where are all the accompanying pictures for these adventures?
Well . . . I must admit that I own more than several cameras, but for some reason the last few years I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from using most of them, even though I have a tendency to carry a camera with me just about everywhere I go. The only thing I can figure is that I have been so transfixed by all the moments unfolding in front of me that I have not had time nor inclination to use cameras to freeze those happenings.
I realized awhile ago that it’s difficult to be very good at several things simultaneously. The past few years as I’ve been gypsying around, I’ve been paying attention to the conversations and the things happening around me . . . and instead of capturing those moments on film or digitally, I’ve been writing about them . . . because more than anything, writing about those moments is my gift and truest calling. I do have a passion for photography, but have been more interested as of late to proceed fullest throttle forward with the one passion that trumps even my photo bug . . . and that is my writing.
I remember being so impressed with everything I saw at BRC that I felt a photograph was a worthless ephemera, and would be a way of simply distancing myself from the experience. So I took not a single photograph. When I returned, I was slightly disappointed by this, but then I discovered the online photo libraries of many fellow attendees (not so common back in ’97) and that sufficed. Finally, for the one moment of which I desperately wanted photos, I contacted the others who were in the moment, and they mailed me some copies. It was much, much better, and my memories of the event are so much stronger as a result. Photographing everything around oneself can lead to living in a defensive bubble – much better to have lived it than to have simply photographed it.
My black kitty naybor – !
So eloquently put and I could not agree more! In fact, I believe that BRC taught me the same lesson – and it’s carried over into everyday life.
Oh by the way – Frankie misses you all very much and gives the black kitty a long distance swipe, jump, roll and pUR-R-R!!