Definitions of isolation or freedom are hard to pin down , being free to walk within a prison cell is a freedom of sorts, conversely , walking alone within a huge rural landscape is still isolation , especially if it is enforced !
Real freedom , exists only in our minds , creatives know this more than most, we exercise free thinking on a regular basis, that is the appeal for most of our creative pursuits , regardless of medium !
My photography addiction is not about cameras or even the resulting photographs , my photography is an addiction of process , not ID 11 or D 76 for ten minutes , not Dev, Stop , Fix or any other actual photographic process, although I love the smell of darkrooms ? (I’ll edit that bit out later)
The bit between starting with nothing and ending with something is the real driver for me ! My photographic addiction is all about mental state, I enjoy being in a certain place within, “thought process” ? Call it what you will , I know that engaging with picture making, induces a positive adventurous mindset inside me that connects me to my everyday and life itself !
That is why the often asked “Favourite Photograph” question is met with the repeated reply “The Next One” by so many photographers , the mental and actual search for “The Picture” is endless and compelling !
Inducing a creative mindset can be a place of great isolation & liberation in equal measure , that is part of the appeal but it is also a destination of loneliness unless you are happily independent or surrounded by like minded folk , thankfully the internet makes it much easier to find the essential beacons and lighthouses !
A few weeks ago I twisted my back and could barely function , I managed to maintain my picture each day Trip Around The Sun project despite the challenges , the images I made at home were actually painful to create but I needed the mental exercise of picture making , the pictures were my “Daily Positive” during a difficult time , I recommend this habit to those photographers who are stuck at home now !
Learn to enjoy the positive & mental freedom of personal self indulgent me time !
You might not be making the pictures you want but making the images you can is better than doing nothing, the new pictures might not be better than your best captures but they are definitely better for the soul !
Window light and everyday objects can help to maintain your photographic focus .
I shot this on 15.02.2020 when the weather was bad , the symbolism here was not intended , time changes what and how you see !
Take ideas from projects like Parrs , Signs of the Times, Irving Penns , Cigarette Butts or if your really brave take a look at Richard Billinghams , Rays A Laugh for inspiration ? .
A day to day study of meals, toilet roll alternatives or your garden could all provide opportunities for projects during these difficult times , a macro lens , close up filters or slow shutter speeds might open up new perspectives on your picture making ?
Make the pictures now , photograph these times , you can defer the “share or not to share” dilemma !
Don’t let the negativity win , use your unexpected time gain to grow as a person and a photographer , these dark days will pass .
Spare a thought for the everyday folk who are in the front line of this crisis…
Stay safe …
