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Writer's pictureYogesh Kardile

Photography & The mind




Shweta


Any medium of expression generally the artistic one is centred around the self. How an individual perceives the world around him and shares his experiences, feelings and interpretations with masses in an organised way makes it appealing to us. Once it comes in the public domain it becomes the identity of the society. Poems, paintings, sculpture, dance, music all these expressions are among us since thousands of years.


A winter evening in Lolab


When we consider photography it joined this club lately in the modern Era . And along with the development of technology it became omnipresent. The photographer is a fortunate being having a capable mind to receive the information, subtract unwanted and add on his colour to it. Eyes and a lens enable him to convey the message the way S/he wants. The decision where to focus must be taken by the mind first.


Smile needs no introduction


We photographer directly deals with the finest material in this universe that is the reason of this world. It's Light and the darkness comes to our aid as a canvas. With multiple permutation and combinations of them an image appears on the screen / print. Somehow photographer’s are a privileged breed to play with the light.


Himalay; a land where Shiva and Buddha live


All of us mature with the time and learn how to express well what we exactly feel. That automatically comes into the artwork. Not necessarily we should expect the same from the viewer. They may see something that is slipped from the creator or find something that is completely different as per their interpretation. Still some things are universal and touch to everyone’s heart. That’s why some photographs become public memory and others joined the pool of oblivion. 


Until the last fish


We train ourselves to look at the things that normally people do miss out. We make people pose or capture the raw essence of the moment. We sometime add on layers of clothes or bare them completely to the world. We make the truth bare to the society and sometime hide it when we work with a motive to promote something for a commercial gain. We give people pleasure and make them cry as well. We make them aware with the pain of a far corner of the world and realise that we are not alone. We are all together in it like waves in the ocean. 



Kinnaur ; where Gods lives among humans


The democratisation of photography has given the tool of expression to the common man. What one can see is not necessary that other will see, interpret and capture in that particular way. Everyone’s truth is different and it's true with the photography. A tool that was elitist is now in everyone’s hand. But ultimately what one is doing with the lens will decide the outcome of the frame. Beyond the sensory pleasure it’s an experience that we live and witness. We live for that moment and store it for the future to make us aware that this happened in the past.


Gulmarg & Mount Harmukh

Act of photographing is treated as an observation when it is done as a third person who is actually observing. In the case of an artist it might be act of collaboration or participation with one or more individuals.We as human beings are on a continuous journey of evolution and that is true with the any method we use to express ourselves. Like in photography art and technology are in hand in hand. Something that was not possible in the past is happening now. But the need of expressing is same. The satisfactory feeling of clicking is sometime enhanced by sharing with likeminded people. Some receive accolades some criticism. Ultimately the expression reaches to the people and make an impact.


Curiosity thy name is innocence


The journey from intricate patterns, riot of colour towards the minimalism is unique to each one. It can be circular or linear. But expressing complex experiences, thoughts, visuals in a simplistic manner requires more experience and maturity. Just like a condensed zen thought or a couplet from a saint. It expresses universal thought in minimum words and remains in public memory for centuries. There's a saying a single photograph is worth a thousand words. In the world of A.I. & meta tags this is reality.



Experience


It's the truth that discovered after spending hours of developing that one single thought. It suddenly strikes upon you when you are ready for it just like a thunderbolt. They are not lucky but ready to do that extra efforts of surrendering themselves completely to their art or purpose of the life. And one fine day it just happens. Same way a painter paints something extraordinary work in frenzy, a sculptures creates a masterpiece in isolation or a photographer clicks a rare moment of humanity. Those moments are itched in our collective memory because we as a humanity are one. 




Heavan and earth meets in Kashmir


To see how an artists is achieved his enlightenment go nowhere by to Bharat , Cambodia and Bali.

Living in the nature and mixing the divinity with the physical existence is achieved by those master sculptures and painters so subtly and naturally . It can happen only with the sensitive mind and trained hands. But to see the pinnacle in the art of photography that originated in the West I personally feel they have really achieved the height in the art of photography. Hence we need to study works of the giants in photography from the west.

While following them one thing is necessary that roots are very important to any artist.

You can be a global citizen, your art will be global but the inspiration that comes from your root is ingrained into your blood and genes. Un tapping that inspiration is far more easier than copying something that is far off from you. Techniques can be borrowed not the idea.


Ancient land of Yana


We see a natural rhythm in the photographs of the artists who are merged into their art.

When I see a single lit photograph of Annie Lebovitz, her model in a particular pose, the light that glistens the skin and folds of the clothes exactly where it needs to be and emotes the expression just the artist wanted it to be . When I see black and white frames of Herb Ritts it looks like this is what a human body is meant for. The human form completely surrendered before the photographer the way he wanted to mould it and share it to the world. The complete trust in the eyes of the model oozes even in the relaxed pose. The way Fan Ho plays with the light in Hong Kong is like we are in a dreamy world of shadows where light cuts through or floats like a vapour on darkness. And humans in his frame walks like a skilled performers. Many of us are introduced to the portrait photography with the stare of the Afgan girl by Steve McCurry . Whose pictures of Asia are anything but ordinary.



Eyes speaks more than the instrument


The work of Yann Arthus Bertrand, Sebastiao Salgado & James Nachtwey is gripping. It touches you to the core. The beauty of the earth, the struggle of humanity, the chilling gaze of a tribal and everything they see under the sun. They are your own versions going through nerve racking experiences on some other part of the globe. We connect with them in an instant. These artists are mirror of the society. These are the famous names in the current times. Definitely there are many more who have seen the light in the truest sense and shared with the world.


Play of the Gods and Light.


I used to feel how come they captures everything so perfectly ? Now I somehow understand that it is their highest level of attuning of their mind to the event happening before them and composing it it in the right moment. Extraordinary is here and now. They just happened to be ready for that moment from years of practice. The whole matter is made of waves in finer and grosser forms of the light that is present in the space. So practically every one of us is a manifestation of that material. The same light when a seed drinks becomes our food, the same element enters into the water and becomes the electricity, but when it passes through the artist it enlightens the whole humanity.



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