Projects

Each day I receive and e-mail from The Daily OM. It’s a website whose byline is “Nurturing Mind, Body, and Spirit”. Today’s topic is about being aware and awake, couple that with Earl’s post: Eight Things Previously Unknown (item #2), add in a little bit of yesterday’s post, in particular the man in the church, mix slowly, and somehow, I came up with today’s post.

Projects: To my recollection, I’ve only done one photographic project intentionally. By that I mean that I had an idea in mind, actually an assignment, during a workshop; I went out and executed the assignment, edited the pictures, and then presented the project to the other participants. I don’t know why I’ve not shared it to date. I think that it actually came out quite well, considering that I had about 2 hours to do it!

As I looked at these photos of this particular man doing his rosary, it represented a body of work, or perhaps an unintentional project. While taking the photos, I was … well, just taking the photos. I can fully accept that sometimes there is some force of intuition guiding me, so, for now I don’t need to know why I took these pictures. He was a subject of interest, so I spent a while taking his picture from a respectable distance so as don’t to disturb his prayer or meditation.

Just reviewing these pictures makes me want to spend some time in various churches, observing people, and create a project. I’m not sure what, at this time, the project would be about, but there is something absolutely inspiring about the interior of a church, particularly those with wonderful patches of light and dark. I find that when I enter, even if I have my camera, I tend to sit quietly for a while before doing anything, simply enjoying the peace.

Now, how does Earl’s post relate to projects. I think that it has to do with persistence, not speed. From what I understand, projects can, and some do, take years to complete. Some photographers say that in order to finish a project, you should put a finish date on it. Projects, I think, are not about swiftness, but neither are they about deadlines. They are, I think, more about the expression of subject that has somehow inspired or interested the photographer.

In this case, I’m not so much interested in religion, although it does interest me how very similar are prayer and meditation/intention. Perhaps that it was I am trying to show. I don’t know. If I do this project, I’ll just let it lead me where it may and enjoy the journey with no concern whatsoever of the destination.