Contemplative Photography 10

My approach to contemplative photography (or Miksang) has been quite intuitive. I’ve read everything I can find and am developing my ‘eye’ but it’s hard to describe miksang without it sounding like a riddle.

Miksang, or contemplative photography is more of an ‘approach’ or a ‘way’ rather than a set of rules. To me (and remember I’m only learning), it is about going out with an open heart, open eye and open mind. I clear out judgement and expectation and just see freshly and clearly. Think about your trip to work each morning. Whether it is a drive, train trip or walk to your office, there are things you pass every day without even noticing. Miksang helps you notice all around you and see them, without judgement.

I usually take a walk at lunchtime, mostly just to get me out of the office for a while. I don’t go out deciding to do a photo shoot, if it comes, it comes. I just walk, feel centred, wander and look. I enjoy walking meditation rather than being still.

Most times, something will catch my eye, capture me, fascinate, surprise, delight or jar me. It demands a reaction, it stirs an emotion. I stop and often say “Whoa! Look at THAT”. I hold all judgement about whether it is a ‘good’ subject or a ‘bad’ subject, whether the light or angle or distance is ‘right’. For some reason, it has captured me, if not, I move along. I’m look deeply to see what it was that caught me.
Was it the shape? colour? texture? shadow? light? texture? symmetry? asymmetry? space? angle? incongruity? context?

I don’t try to find a ‘better angle, I don’t zoom, I don’t crop, edit, straighten or do any post editing. I shoot what I see. What you see is what I saw and what captured me. Hopefully the shot shows you things that capture my eye, my heart, my mind.
So, that’s where I am on my journey into Miksang. I hope you give it a go as well.

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If you’d like to find out more about Miksang and the art of Contemplative Photography, check out these links:

Miksang Institute for Contemplative Photography
Miksang Society for Contemplative Photography

If you’re not a map nerd, move along.

I’ve decided to let you in on a secret…. I am a fully fledged map nerd. The nature/nurture debate has been thrashed out and I am happy to say this is based purely on genetics and I can’t help it. I blame my fairy godmother (love you!).

Okay, so being addicted to maps is hardly earth shattering but it is terribly, terribly (and beautifully) time consuming. If you aren’t sure whether you are a fellow map nerd, here is a short quiz I’ve put together from years of experience…

1) you’d rather read the Atlas than The Womens’ Weekly.
2) you think maps are works of art and science and you’d probably frame one and hang it on the wall
3) when you give directions to a friend, your map-on-a-napkin contains the North point and you pay attention to scale
4) you think that looking at maps is time ‘invested’ rather than time ‘wasted’
5) you know about contour lines and ordnance surveys
6) you think car SatNavs are for idiots
7) you even appreciate maps that are fictitious and contain places like “The Shire” and “Mordor“
8) you pore over maps of places you’ve never been to and marvel at the terrain and place names

How did you go?

My latest find…
Okay, so here is the latest groovy map nerd find. It’s a “live” traffic map of all the shipping in the world. Do you wonder where that Ocean Liner is cruising? How about where that fishing boat has been? Or where that tanker is going? Well, wonder no more.

MarineTraffic.com has a fantastic ‘live’ map of the world. You can select a region and see what marine traffic is active, anchored, underway etc.

Shipping Regions of the World (from MarineTraffic.com)

I’m in Western Australia which has a number of active ports with regular fishing, cargo, tanker and passenger traffic. I can see what is coming and going, which route it has taken etc.

Shipping off Western Australia (from MarineTraffic.com)

If you’re interested in a particular vessel, you can get more information about the name, destination, home port, photo etc.

Pick a vessel for more details

Have fun!!

Perth Alley Art – III

I regularly walk through the Perth city centre and am especially drawn to the alleys and laneways that feature urban art. I’m not talking about the senseless tagging, obscene scribbles and outright vandalism on bins and bus shelters, I’m talking about art. Street art. I’m not advocating vandalism, I’m celebrating a medium and artist that is often misunderstood.

I love BIG art.  I love big, gutsy public art.  These pieces are really special to see.  I love to get up really close and let the whole picture consume my peripheral vision so I feel like I’m IN the picture.  I can check out the detail before pacing backwards with awkward strides to soak in the whole piece.  In – out, big – small, piece – whole, detail – entirety. I love it.

Unlike a gallery, there are no laminated signs saying ”Please do not touch”. There are no fancy ropes keeping me from approaching and no security guards watching my movements.  I have complete freedom.  I like to stand close and see the textures on the surface, the shape and flow of the paint, the overspray, the layers, the runs, the stencil edge, the faux holes painted for effect, the shine and highlights on the brickwork or concrete.  Glorious.

Here are some more pics I’ve found lately around town.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do – it certainly brightens up my lunchtime walk!

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Check out my other posts in this series:  Perth Alley Art – I  and Perth Alley Art II