The Little Prince & The HeART Of Photography

As a self learning hobby photographer with no formal training, taking pictures, for me, has always been about capturing the opportunity presented by circumstances, or engaging with the energy exuded by the people in focus. Certainly, not as much about technicalities like exposure settings and choice of lenses. 

Technical knowledge, like in any subject, is essential for delivering well. However, with increasing automation and the evolution of the camera technologies used in mobile phones, it might soon become elective.*

I would like to paraphrase what Antoine de Saint-Exupery writes in his famous work The Little Prince... "What is essential... is invisible to the eye... 

paraphrased for my argument about photography ... " its often more than what meets the eye..." 

 

I am going to admit it even further that much of, what I feel, have been my best pictures**, have happened with almost zero effort from my side.

Rather simply matters of coincidence.

Here are a few examples:

Sometimes, in order to avoid crowded streets, I do my constitutional walk on the building terrace, and there are many who do the same.
Before walking the terrace, we often fill that dish of water for the thirsty birds (mostly crows). 
That particular day, I also wanted to take a shot of the beautiful sun-set.
So I was walking the length of the terrace, waiting for the sun to set.
When the moment arrived - it was a spectacular sight all the golden red colours...yet the composition was not happening.
Eventually, before the opportunity was lost, I took a random aim of the sun above the drain-exhaust pipe ...thinking of a tongue in cheek tagline for the composition...(something like ..."its mostly about hydrogen anyway"...;) )
all the time thinking ...
oh something is missing something is missing...

that drain pipe is actually spoiling the sun set... 

...and this crow comes in, calls out a couple of times, giving me just the right time needed for using this photo opportunity .... and flies off in a matter of a few seconds.
 
Leaving me thinking...all for a bowl of water! 

...here is the picture

AND another one

Its 14th January, Sankranti. I am having my beach walk.

The sky is really special that evening and the beach looks spectacular as the sun starts yet another northward journey that day.

I want to capture the energy so I kneel down to take a shot of the waves...
 

Suddenly this lady appears right into my frame, bows to the ocean, and leaves in a hurry.
 

The shots happened in what must have been half a minute.... see below

 

AND yet another...

I am, yes walking on the terrace at night, and looking at the most beautiful clouds, lit by the city's electric glare...

I am looking at these clouds and saying...ah what a beautiful backdrop, if only...
and there is pitter patter of tiny feet on the stairway leading to where I am...followed by squeals and laughter...
...its my niece & nephew, who's mother's have decided to get them up for some starlight city view...

I plead, "Hey guys could I have your pictures here? could you please pose for me?"

A bit of more spontaneous laughter later, they agree.

And I have to be quick, because kids don't have the patience...
My "photo op" is over in 3 mins, they have run downstairs already.

And the results...

and so it keeps happening many times...leaving me filled with heartfelt gratitude for all these opportunities...

What about portraits?...let me write about it another day.

Meanwhile a passing thought in closing...

What perhaps Cartier-Bresson calls "decisive moments" in photography , by definition, couldn't be planned in advance...yes, one could always be prepared for the opportunity...

...so much to the credit of mobile phone cameras and the convenience they offer to the photo hobbyist in staying always prepared...

Addendum:

After writing the above short write up, I was restless about not having closed the subject well. Amateur writer's dilemma I suppose.
Meanwhile, my birthday is fast approaching, and I am rushing to complete my Instagram picture gallery.
And my sister texts me.
"Hey bro, what do you want for birthday this time?"
and I avoid the question with something lame.
A short while later she sends me a picture of a coffee table book on photography called "PICTURING TIME" by Raghu Rai!

"Your birthday gift, hope you like it" ... "Its arriving tomorrow". 

Next day I open the book with excitement, and I find my closure.
Raghu Rai ends the book introduction with:

"They say that God exists in every grain.
This is not to say that you lift a stone and you will find God.

The ability to connect. With anything and everything. Significant or mundane. Precious or ordinary. When you start caring for everything, everything around you starts caring for you in some way or the other, so you stand connected.
You connect with every inch of space and respond. It’s having a complete awareness of things, and by that I mean not only the physical but also the emotional and spiritual aspect.
Even a breeze blowing—what does it do to you and the entire space around you?

This is what is so magical about human life and the human spirit—that some people appear from somewhere, some situations arise from somewhere to bless you with the unexpected—and that is darshan. This is the way I look at it.

If people can connect with my pictures and enjoy them that is enough for me. It’s like you are walking down the street and you smile at someone and they smile back. There is nothing given and nothing taken. It is just like a little nudge, a recognition of humanity and life. That is what photography means to me. It is my profession, it is my life, it is my karma, it is my dharma."

I am speechless.

I turn the page, and there is remarkable top shot of a small surface covered with grains, and flock of sparrows pecking the grains. In the middle of that crowd of sparrows is an odd mynah also pecking at the grains, and the description of this frame goes like this...

Raghu Rai writes

"The sparrows were pecking at grains when I was standing looking at them through the viewfinder.
It was interesting, but not interesting enough.
Then suddenly the big black intruder (he is referring to the mynah) appeared.
Instead of scurrying away, they made space for it.
I took a picture and the bird flew off;
It was as if it had been sent to create a moment for me"

(cant reproduce the picture here for copyright reasons)

Here are a few more illustrated "casual coincidences" from my collection... 

*Agreed, its a topic to fight over a chai adda.

**no delusions of photographic excellence as such, just happy about what got captured on my cam.