PhotoTao Card #11

Card #11

Usefulness of Nothingness

Become aware of emptiness because the

secret of your being lies in making good 

use of nothing.

- Exercise -

How often we've heard the phrase, "Don't go there,

 there is nothing to make pictures of!"  Out of this

nothingness, great photographs may come.  There

are no bad locations, only narrow vision and

closed minds.  Find such a place and spend time

there...you may even find your place of nothingness

right in your own back yard!

  

   The longer I pursue contemplative photography, the more convinced I am that there is a great deal to "nothingness".  What we choose to see as insignificant and not worthy of our attention as photographers says more about ourselves then the objects themselves.  I make it a point to seek out these places.

   Finding the sacred in the commonplace, the beauty in the everyday things of life, should be a goal for the contemplative photographer.  This pile of old bottles I photographed on South Uist had a wonderful story behind it...a story that brought me a greater understanding and appreciation of the Hebridean people and culture.  Such things are very easily over looked but try to make it a point to discover the "usefulness of nothingness."