Posts Tagged: self-knowledge
blog post: alternative photographic processes
…or, a lesson on how to feed your soul…
As I’ve evolved on my photographic journey (and on my spiritual path) I’ve learned many things…
In the early years of my career and learning process, it was all about controlling the outcome of the images I created. Much of that need to control came about as a result of who I was creating for and what my subjects were…Wedding Clients. Photographing weddings was a “get-it-right” one-time opportunity with no-room-for-error, and it had to be done quickly AND creatively.
It was a super-exciting challenge; one I always approached with confidence and passion that led me to become one of the top wedding photographers locally and beyond – I’m well-known for my wedding art…and then I decided to let that go. I was serving others in a wonderful way, but came to realize I wasn’t serving myself. Eventually, I began to feel the powerful pull to do art for myself, in my own way and style, just as I had when I began to photograph weddings!
As I left the wedding world, I threw out the need to control the outcome of my images, and instead immersed myself into alternative photographic process where the control and outcome was almost completely out of my control in many instances, except for where I was choosing when to release the shutter. This letting go of end outcomes became a vehicle for self- and art-exploration. I thought I was happy while photographing previous to this, but letting go became pure BLISS to me!
But, to this day I must say that I feel it is so very important to have knowledge and understanding of the technical aspects of photography / cameras / lenses so you know what to do and how to create from your vision. So, self-taught or formally educated. Knowledge is the catalyst to freedom!
The photographic journey – mine, yours, the masters, the beginners – it’s all an ever-evolving process of creative- and self-knowledge.
Here is an example of one of my Pinhole (alternative) Photographic images taken in Provincetown MA:
What does it make you feel when you view it? I’d really like to know, and thank you for stopping by.
Namaste, Joanne Bartone Photographer / Zen Photography
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 7D | No-dust 50mm Pinhole Lens | ISO: 400 | f/64 | 25 sec. | Images refined and enhanced for density + 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 dream
“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall unveil. ” — James Allen
Dreams are invaluable – they can offer us creative vision and set us free from worry. Our dreams, whether done while sleeping or in a fully awake state of mind, are the very fuel that inspire us to create a work of art, or a business. They are paramount in all we do.
Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats wants to nurture your dreams with you; we can explore, guide and help you bring them to be. In fact, we’d LOVE to do that with you.
Until we meet…please share with us what your dreams are…what do you dream of doing, being or creating? We’d really love to know what your dreams are about.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 7D | Canon 70-200mm L f/2.8 IS @ 200mm | ISO: 125 | f/4.0 | 1/1250 | Buffalo NY | Image refined cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: contemplative photography
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” — Buddha
Whether or not it is a single flower we approach photographically, or the abstractions of shadows and light, the point here is that photographic “seeing” goes much deeper than what we are actually seeing.
There is an almost intuitive seeing and a knowing involved in photographing…what direction is the light coming from – am i adding light to my subject or scene, or using the ambient light alone – is the light high or low, blue, pink, yellow or orange – how am i relating to my subject, or to my light – what or who is my subject – what rules of photographic design am i going to use as i photograph – will i use selective focus or selective composition – do i want it to be a colorful image, or do i desire the simplicity (or complexity) of a black + white image…these decisions are spontaneously and intentionally considered as you contemplate the outcome of your image oftentimes in what can be mere moments.
The mental focus used to create a photographic image is nothing short of miraculous; nearly as miraculous as the single flower…but not quite…
I believe that when we can step beyond looking and move more towards seeing the miracles present in our chosen subjects and the miracles in the light and in composition, it can change our whole approach to our photography.
When we contemplate the purpose and message of our photography it can open our creativity to growth we never thought possible.
Helping people move more towards contemplative photography is exactly what we love to do.
Join us for a Zen Photography Workshop and create with intention. An on-line workshop on Contemplative Photography that will be available by July 2012. We believe you will find it to be of great value if you are looking to see differently.
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 24-70mm L f/2.8 IS @ 70mm | ISO: 100 | f/4.0 | 1/1250 | Provincetown MA | Image refined cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: knowing ourselves
“Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment.” — Lao Tzu
There are many people that touch our lives. we learn from them in many ways; how to cook, how to drive, how to lawyer or doctor, even how to photograph. we become busy learning and doing; very busy. and in all this busy-doing we often lose touch with ourselves. if we can be still and introspectively return to ourselves we will gain enlightenment, not just knowledge.
At Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats, we offer just the right balance of knowledge and experiences to help you gain wisdom, but most importantly, Satori (enlightenment).
Namaste, Team Zen | Joanne Bartone
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 24-70mm L f/2.8 lens @ 28mm | ISO: 100 | f/5.6 | 1/160 | Kentuck Knob Chalk Hill PA | Image refined, cropped and enhanced for color + tonality in PS5
blog post: priorities
“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that wecan see.” — Taoist Proverb
Elusive time. we all need time, but too often we don’t make time to do the things that could make a difference for ourselves. we need time to be still, to see, to learn, regroup, meditate, explore, exercise, laugh, be with people we love… many people remind us that we cannot buy back time. where does time go?
When we are “still,” when we take the time necessary to nurture ourselves, it will offer us opportunities that we couldn’t even begin to see all the while we are busy doing things.
Perhaps it’s about our priorities.
Only 3% of Americans make time to create goals that would advance their lives, be it their finances, careers or even their personal lives. that is a shocking statistic! what have your priorities been? have they been leading you in the direction you want to go, or do you need to make, and then take, time to regroup and redirect yourself? “but I don’t have time,” you say. i disagree. you can create and effect big changes for yourself in thirty, fifteen, or even in as little time as seven minutes; yes, 7 minutes.
We have a plan for you at Zen Photography Safaris | Workshops | Retreats. we want to help you help yourself to prosper in all aspects of your life. we know that it can be done. come join us.
ABOUT THE PHOTO ABOVE:
Canon EOS 5D | Canon 70mm-200 L f/2.8 IS lens @ 100mm | ISO: 200 | f/4 | 1/250 | Hopewell PA | Image refined, cropped and enhanced for 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