Posts in Category: PHOTO RETREATS
Creative Zen Photography 3-5 day PHOTO RETREATS
blog post: why zen photography?
Zen is not a philosophy, it is poetry. It does not propose, it simply persuades. It does not argue, it simply sings its own song. — Osho —
I imagine that those visiting our website might wonder why we have chosen to call ourselves “Zen Photography.” I can hear the pondering…”Is it a religious thing?” “Do I have to be a Buddhist to participate?” The answer to both questions is ‘no,’ but it’s OK if you are!
Zen is considered a form of Buddhism that focuses on meditation and enlightenment through direct experience. Primarily dependent on awareness and concentration, the premise of practicing Zen is to bring your focus to the present moment. As humans, our tendency is to dwell on the past or focus on the future, and when we do that we typically miss the rich experiences that happen in the “now.” Zen is an awareness. If we shift our focus to the present moment we are not burdened by the woes of the past or the anxieties of the future.
So, that brings us to the question…”Why the title ‘Zen Photography’ then?” Our Zen Photography philosophy is to provide lectures and hands-on practicum that bring your attention to the things you are most in need of learning. Through these practical learning experiences we focus on skills and knowledge that will bring you immediate progress and success. Our goal is that after you’ve attended one of our Zen Photography Workshops you will leave with the knowledge you came to obtain from us and a deeper understanding of that knowledge which will bring you more success in your photography, no matter what your level of experience. We like to think if it as Photo Satori, or Photo Enlightenment! So, our goal is to enlighten you photographically, and if some of that enlightenment rubs off of you in a spiritual way, we’re OK with that too.
For the record, we leave the religious practices of Zen up to the Zen Masters who teach Zen well. And, it’s my understanding that the Zen Masters are leaving the photographic instruction up to us, since we happen to provide photography instruction well!
Namaste, Joanne Bartone Photographer / Zen Photography
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 70-200mm L f/2.8 IS @ 200mm | ISO: 100 | f/2.8 | 1/800 | Images refined and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: wishing or doing?
“If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of potential – for the eye which, ever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints; possibility never.” — Soren Kierkegaard
If I were to wish for anything, I’d wish to create an interactive dialog with the many visitors that come here to the Zen Photography blog. Thank you for honoring me by reading my posts (we have many visitors from all around the world). Despite our not being able to meet in person, I’d really like to hear your thoughts and strike up a conversation on how you relate photographically with my writings. Having a connection is essential in supporting one another on our photographic journey – I will always welcome your input here.
So, let’s consider our photographic potential for a moment…
Many of us have a passion for photography, whether we are just beginning to learn it or we are someone who is in the thick of a solid career.
As a new photographer, how many times have we seen the potential in wanting to create from a scene or a moment only to have the outcome be disappointing as we struggled with camera settings or we mistimed our shots? All that possibility leading to all that disappointment. That’s called frustration. Frustration leaves many a shooter to rely on P – which does not stand for Professional or Potential, in my book!
Or, perhaps that passion for our photography has led us to move from enthusiast towards an actual career as a photographer – all that potential, all those possibilities…all that struggle as we make our way down an unknown path without a mentor or a coach. That’s how it was for me, nearly twenty years ago. What was I thinking?! As a typical creative person, I was thinking about the potential, the excitement, the possibilities – everything I knew I could do, despite not knowing how to go about doing it. That didn’t stop me. I blazed a trail for myself and for many photographers that followed after me. But that trail blazing came at an expense at times – there’s a LOT of learning to be done as the sole owner of a photography business. That is one thing I know for sure. Those who tell you they’ve learned or know it all (at any time in their career), probably haven’t learned anything at all.
Each of us is on our own journey; we all learn in our own way, pace and time, but you now have the opportunity of learning from people who have experience and are here to guide and help – Team Zen. They are a gift. I wished I’d have had someone to mentor me as I was learning photography and the business of photography – THAT is a whole ‘nother story, believe me.
I’d like you to consider your potential while reading this post, then consider the things you spend time wishing for…those possibilities that look so enticing yet are still out of reach. Are you achieving your photographic or business goals by planning and harnessing your potential instead of just wishing that things will happen? Do you have a plan to learn more about photography, or more about operating your photographic business?
Please share your thoughts here with us. What do you see as your potential vs. what you are wishing for. ‘My potential is: ___________________.’ ‘I wish __________________ .’ Can you feel the difference between them?
If you need some photographic or business guidance, consider taking a Zen Photography 2-day Workshop, or attending a Zen Photography 5-day Retreat, or having 1:1 Coaching. Team Zen can help you learn to see differently and create from your potential in a way that will move you thoughtfully towards success.
This isn’t a race, it’s your journey.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 7D | Canon 16-35mm L f/2.8 IS @ 16mm | ISO: 400 | f/8 | 1/160 | Provincetown MA | Image refined cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: i see light
“Photography is the literature of light; the cinematographer (photographer) is a writer who utilizes light, shadow, tonality and color tempered with their experience, sensitivity, intelligence and emotion to imprint their own style and personality on a given work…” — Vittorio Storaro, Director of Photography
When you look at your world around you, what do you see? More so, what kind of light do you observe? Are you aware of the expansiveness, expressions and subtleties of light? …how it bends, shapes and colors your world around you…it’s nuances at different times throughout the day, or even at night…it’s reflections on water, off of substances and onto others, can be so interesting… Observing the gift of light is, in itself, a remarkable gift!
Practicing this observation of light will bring you present in your moments – to be in the light; literally, a part of it as it surrounds you. Once you begin to look fully, in your present moments, seeing light, and your world around you can profoundly change you – it grounds you, brings you peace, yet it can leave you in awe and excite you all at once, as observing then becomes an excursion from your norm.
I would love for you to practice seeing light; watch it change, and then observe the feelings you have within you as you stay present in your observations of light. Look deeply… What do you see? ‘I see __________________ .’
Share the experience with us here. Then, delve a little deeper by practicing this exercise in seeing at one of our Zen Photography Retreats, where we will fully immerse you in a whole new way of seeing…a whole new light.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 16-35mm L f/2.8 IS @ 16mm | ISO: 400 | f/5.6 | 1/160 | Venice FL | Image refined cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: now what?
“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.” — Lao Tzu
You’ve attained technical mastery with your camera and perhaps even with on-/off-camera lighting. now what?
How do you connect; how do you move from the typical to the extraordinary? what to do, what to see…differently, or compose…differently; how to go about creating uniquely; what is to be done to stretch yourself artistically.
If you are asking these questions you are ready to move yourself towards more personal, artistic and professional growth.
Team Zen has inspiring ideas to challenge your growth and help you move yourself towards your goals.
A Zen Photography Workshop or Retreat can be the stepping stone to your journey . come join us.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 70-200mmmm L f/2.8 @ 185mm | ISO: 100| f/3.5 | 1/2000 | Presque Isle Erie PA | Image refined cropped, processed + enhanced in PS5
blog post: attainment
“I have so overcome the mechanics of my camera that it functions responsive to my desires, my shutter coordinating with my brain is released in a way, as natural as I might move my arm. I am beginning to approach actual attainment in photography — that in my ego of two or three years ago I thought to have already reached. It will be necessary for me to destroy, to unlearn, and then rebuild upon the mistaken presumptuousness of my past.” — Edward Weston
Ego interferes with our personal and professional growth; it’s a constant battle to be aware of ego and keep it in check.
Edward Weston was a Master Photographer who continues to inspire through his work and wisdom, even thought he is no longer with us.
I am one of those photographers who believe in mastering the technical aspects of photographing because it can set us free to create imagery that can astound. it is my opinion that when you shoot in “P” / Program mode, it’s the easy way out. it’s like cheating on the test; all the answers are there for us, even if they are mediocre answers. Program mode doesn’t allow for us to stretch our creativity, it simply allows us to create just like everyone else, and then deludes us into thinking we are fantastic photographers. well, delusions will only get us so far in anything we choose to do.
Team Zen wants you to have success, whether you are photographing as a career choice, for your self, as a parent or an enthusiast who simply wants to learn to be more proficient with their DSLR.
Let your ego go. take a risk and learn the skills that will be of great service to you and bring you joy. Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats can help. come join us.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 7D | Canon 70-200mmmm L f/2.8 @ 100mm | ISO: 100| f/5.6 | 1/1000 | Boston MA | Image refined cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: tortoise or hair
“It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.” — Wisdom of Confucius
The fable of the tortoise and the hare comes to mind here…let me make myself an example: i move and think with awareness, so at times, i can appear to be slow. my grandmother would always encourage me by saying “slow but steady; that is how you will have success.” she was right.
At times we may wish that our success was quicker, but wishing does not get us closer to our desires. the steady drip of water wears even the hardest rock over time. consider allowing the process to unfold.
At Zen Photography Workshops + Retreats we help you to be consciously present in your daily deeds to help you move the mountains you were meant to move.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 24-70mm L f/2.8 @ 24mm | ISO: 100 | f/4.0 | 1/30 | Falling Water | Mill Run PA | Image refined, cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: inspira-Zen
“Inspiration is a different thing. Through inspiration you start on the journey, not on any effort of copying. You move on your own path. Inspiration is just a challenge. A thirst arises, and then you move. Tantra says, ‘Be inspired, but don’t become imitators.’ Always remember that you are your own goal.” — Osho
“Tantra” is akin to principles or ethics based upon Divine Universal principles.
Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats was created with the intention to inspire, guide and inform people who love photography, no matter what the skill level.
We can derive our inspiration in many ways…here, i simply want to focus on the inspiration for our photography.
Perhaps we find inspiration for our photography from the beauty of nature, or the repetition of patterns at an industrial site, or perhaps from the irony presented often in life, and we can even find it through the work of other photographers – all are beautiful and viable ways to become inspired as we move through learning to see and photograph all that we are seeing. the challenge then, presents itself with taking the inspiration you have found and integrating it into your own creative process without copying what you have been inspired by.
Tricky.
Consider this:
When you can approach being inspired as a challenge where you integrate that inspirational source into your own creative process, instead of copying it verbatim, you will have stretched, extended and liberated your OWN creativity, and THAT is exciting! this liberation will then extend further and move you to places of personal and professional growth that you previously only hoped for.
The various practical experiences and lectures available to you at Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats are designed to help you get in touch with and integrate your inspirations into your own creative process. we look forward to helping you fuel your soul and direct your creativity towards your own truth.
For more inspiration to reflect upon, please refer to our INSPIRA-ZEN-AL BLOG posts where you will find inspiration for your personal, creative, technical and business needs.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone