Buddha is a photographer. Buddha looks through the viewfinder, sees a frog by a pond. Buddha takes a snapshot. This is a frog by a pond. It is what it is. It is as it should be.
Mike has a camera. Mike stubbed his toe this morning. Mike looks through the viewfinder, sees a frog by a pond. Mike wonders if the frog has eaten as there aren't many flies around, and worries that the local chippy may be out of fish by the time he finishes work. Mike takes a snapshot. The image is slightly reddish, the frog is in shadow and the background is blurred. Mike is not satisfied. Mike searches for a solution.
Mike learns about photography. There are those who share tips and tricks, while others hold the camera instruction manual in sacred regard, seeking to memorize and understand its literal texts. There are those who live their whole lives following the rule of thirds and the triangle, those who argue between longer exposure length vs wider aperture width. There are devout Nikonists, while others preach the Canon, and those who just can't find the white balance in their lives. Mike finds a group with a more Focus'd viewpoint: Just look. Find a cushion or chair, take a seat, keep your posture correct, hands in lense-barrel mudra and breathing steady. Just look. Don't try to take the perfect snapshot. Don't fiddle with the settings. Don't do anything else. Just look. Keep the subject in view, make small adjustments if you feel your Focus slipping. If a leaf falls past your view, don't try to waft it away, don't let it become the focus of your attention. Let it be and it will pass by on its own. To look through the viewfinder is our practice.
Mike sits like this for 20 minutes twice a day, and slowly comes to realise something. The toe isn't sore right now. If the frog wasn't eating, the frog wouldn't be here. The frog doesn't worry about it. One fly a day is good. Ten flies a day is good. If the local chippy runs out of fish, there are other options. Fried fish is good. Battered jumbo sausage is good. Mike is Buddha. Mike camera is Buddha camera. Mike is Buddha Camera. No ISO needed to be added, no F-stop needed taking away. The settings were already correct, they did not need to be changed.
Mike is a photographer. Mike looks through the viewfinder, sees a frog by a pond. Mike takes a snapshot. This is a frog by a pond. It is what it is. It is as it should be. Mike is satisfied.
This is my understanding of Photography.
(This is a beginner's understanding of the idea behind Zen, the journey and the ideal "end" we Practice for. My understanding may be off. This post was purely for fun and to see Zen in a different light!)
Gassho,
Mike
Mike has a camera. Mike stubbed his toe this morning. Mike looks through the viewfinder, sees a frog by a pond. Mike wonders if the frog has eaten as there aren't many flies around, and worries that the local chippy may be out of fish by the time he finishes work. Mike takes a snapshot. The image is slightly reddish, the frog is in shadow and the background is blurred. Mike is not satisfied. Mike searches for a solution.
Mike learns about photography. There are those who share tips and tricks, while others hold the camera instruction manual in sacred regard, seeking to memorize and understand its literal texts. There are those who live their whole lives following the rule of thirds and the triangle, those who argue between longer exposure length vs wider aperture width. There are devout Nikonists, while others preach the Canon, and those who just can't find the white balance in their lives. Mike finds a group with a more Focus'd viewpoint: Just look. Find a cushion or chair, take a seat, keep your posture correct, hands in lense-barrel mudra and breathing steady. Just look. Don't try to take the perfect snapshot. Don't fiddle with the settings. Don't do anything else. Just look. Keep the subject in view, make small adjustments if you feel your Focus slipping. If a leaf falls past your view, don't try to waft it away, don't let it become the focus of your attention. Let it be and it will pass by on its own. To look through the viewfinder is our practice.
Mike sits like this for 20 minutes twice a day, and slowly comes to realise something. The toe isn't sore right now. If the frog wasn't eating, the frog wouldn't be here. The frog doesn't worry about it. One fly a day is good. Ten flies a day is good. If the local chippy runs out of fish, there are other options. Fried fish is good. Battered jumbo sausage is good. Mike is Buddha. Mike camera is Buddha camera. Mike is Buddha Camera. No ISO needed to be added, no F-stop needed taking away. The settings were already correct, they did not need to be changed.
Mike is a photographer. Mike looks through the viewfinder, sees a frog by a pond. Mike takes a snapshot. This is a frog by a pond. It is what it is. It is as it should be. Mike is satisfied.
This is my understanding of Photography.
(This is a beginner's understanding of the idea behind Zen, the journey and the ideal "end" we Practice for. My understanding may be off. This post was purely for fun and to see Zen in a different light!)
Gassho,
Mike
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