This week while photographing several different locations I found myself having some sort of spiritual experiences. It first started while I was photographing the moon the other night and was moved to shoot it in HDR style and found “The Eye of God” looking back at me. I don’t always feel It watching me, but that night I did. After this I started to wonder about some deeper issues besides just surface level images.
This led to the second experience which was while I was shooting “Anonymous Property” here in Center Hill, FL. Once again I found myself, after seeing a pre-WWII Time magazine, slowing down and just taking in the property which is pretty much preserved as it was in the 1940’s and recalling some of the owners stories and life observations that he shared with me earlier in the day. Soon I was laying on the ground, like a kid, looking up at the clouds and drifting back to those much simpler times.
The third experience just happened now on my back porch steps while I was photographing “Dennis Grasshopper”. I’ve been messing around with him all week and tonight he finally behaved long enough for me to get the image I was hoping for. I had to look into his eyes as I was shooting him and I got very sad as I know he will be dead in a couple more months. I learned this earlier in the week because I had to look some facts up about his species on Wikipedia and the Internet. I discovered in the process of keywording his images that his life cycle is only early spring till about November.
So, what I think I learned this week is: A) The Spirit of The Universe sometimes looks in on us. Not in a bad way to see if we are behaving or not but more like the way I was watching Dennis Grasshopper tonight; with amazement and joy and also some sadness at It might know somethings about our life that we’re not aware of and or just enjoying and appreciating the moment for just that…being a moment not cluttered with It’s own bullshit thoughts. B) Appreciate the era and times we live in now as it seems even thought our lives are getting less and less hard, the world is getting more and more complicated. It sure is a faster paced, complicated and confusing world we live in now than 1940 Center Hill, Florida. After talking with the 80 something year old “Mr. Smith” I came to really appreciate all the things his generation survived through, moved past and created for us. And last but not least, C). Live in and enjoy the moment. Life is short and one should really appreciate the little things like stars and grasshoppers and old, country men telling stories. We’re not going to be here forever. Just ask Dennis Grasshopper. I think we’re put here to live and enjoy what we have, not what we don’t. Moving forward, I plan to even more than before!
I am grateful that photography can give me these “spiritual” lessons all by slowing down and taking a closer look at life through the lens. Thank you, God, “Mr. Smith” and Dennis Grasshopper for reminding me about some of this lifes most important things! I will miss you guys when you go and can’t wait to catch up with the three of you on the other side – Life 2.0!
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