Get closer, go slow, let the light guide you.
Seeing these tips on travel photography the other day, the metaphor of photography and exposure struck me as being a great parallel for our own journey. What d’you think?
Different exposures bring different perspectives and as you adjust the exposure, you see detail in the shadows or bring highlights to life. Each exposure tells a story about the same scene – sometimes shifting the frame helps you see a new aspect of yourself.
Images are developed slowly in a darkroom. Understanding yourself takes time, it’s good to go slow, there’s always more to discover. Exploring your light, shadow and everything in between allows you to see the richness of who you are.
The way you frame a shot determines what draws attention and what fades into the background in the same way as shifting the frame can allow you to see yourself from a new angle.
Not every shot is perfect of course, in the same way that we’re not without what we perceive to be flaws. In fact, within our flaws can lie our true beauty. In photography, the contrast between light and shadow creates depth and dimension.
And changing lenses changes perspective – wide angle for big picture, macro for intricate details. Sometimes you need to zoom out to see your life, other times you need to go deep within to understand your motivations and fears.
Just as no single exposure captures the entirety of a scene, no single moment of experience defines who you are. Something which to me is important to remember.
Light is the essence of photography – it highlights, shapes and gives depth. Finding your inner light and letting it guide you does just the same, it brings you home to yourself.