Roots and Branches
The sage likens Tao to a plant whose
roots lie in our heart. With proper
tending, Tao springs forth bearing
flowers and fruit.
- Exercise -
Think of keeping a daily journal. You
could consider it your way of properly
tending that which is growing inside
yourself. Daily reflection can nurture
a more thoughtful and intuitive approach
to your camera work. If you already keep
a journal, consider spending a few days
"cultivating the soil" before you embark
on a photographic project.
This image is from my series The Well Worn Path which was made around Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. I have been visiting Walden nearly every year for over 40 years. It is as familiar to me as my own backyard.
For most of those years I would simply journal and read while I was there. For some reason, it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I brought my camera and recorded images along my walk.
I had spent so many years reading and writing about Walden that the soil was well and truly cultivated by the time I began photographing there. Now, I don't recommend you wait 30 years but spending some time prior to a visit preparing the soil of your contemplative mind to make it more receptive to receiving your images is time well spent. Every gardener knows that seeds sprout best on carefully tilled soil.
For most of those years I would simply journal and read while I was there. For some reason, it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I brought my camera and recorded images along my walk.
I had spent so many years reading and writing about Walden that the soil was well and truly cultivated by the time I began photographing there. Now, I don't recommend you wait 30 years but spending some time prior to a visit preparing the soil of your contemplative mind to make it more receptive to receiving your images is time well spent. Every gardener knows that seeds sprout best on carefully tilled soil.
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