“With time and experience comes a different perception of what’s going on around you.” ~ Chris Robinson
Everything in this photo is a reflection except for a few random small leaves floating on the water’s surface. Our minds want the world around us to make sense so often it’ll interpret things in a way which initially seems to do so, only later integrating contradicting details which may demand a change in our frame of reference.
However, we learn, and as photographer we gain experience in interpreting according to our vision and our assumptions what is before us and our minds adjust to the new normal. I would like to think this would mean we learn to see more, but I wonder if it could also mean we might see less or at least view things only as we believe it ought to be — rigidity.
Is it possible to clear the “mind cache,” so to speak, and see again with at least some of the innocence of a child — thoughts?
Good question. I feel I’ll probably never see with the innocent eyes of child again. I’ve assumed, until you asked this question, that I see more now, partly due to aging and partly due to my photography. It feels like I focus more rather than seeing the larger scene. And, that may have been true all along but I’m more aware of it now. I also want to hear what others think of this question. Thanks, Earl!
Thanks Monte for your thoughts. I found myself wondering if I was learning to seem more openly and honestly or was I fooling myself.
“Is it possible to clear the “mind cache,” so to speak, and see again with at least some of the innocence of a child — thoughts?”
With or without pharmaceutical help? :-) Let’s face it, us adults have a lot of mental baggage we carry around. I think in one way or another, it gets in the way quite often. It makes you think – is there such a thing as a mental baggage handler? Or is that a euphemism for that pharmaceutical help? Least of all, we need to get rid of that inner judge that is criticizing what our eyes and brains want to do.
LOL…I guess I was thinking without pharmaceutical help, Mark. That inner judge is certainly not easy to terminate.
We do carry around some preconceptions that tend to narrow our view, but those same preconceptions are also the result of our seeing. Sometimes I wish I had a big “RESET” button!
It is our job as photographers to go beyond that and see as much as we’re able, to use all of our tools.
Reflections are among my favorite abstractions, as they require a lot of imagination and sometimes precision to pull them off.
Tom, thanks. If you do find that RESET button…let me know! :-)