Image vs. reality: telling a story to yourself

The question of whether the act of photography detracts from the actual experience of whatever is being photographed is not an unreasonable one. After all, a photograph is only an image of the a event, place, person, object or situation. A still photo cannot even adequately represent motion, which is arguably one the most important components of an artistic image. A still image is just representation of motion, a conventional way of describing the concept of time-dependence and change, which is inherent to everything that surrounds us.

Moreover, taking a photo requires a certain amount of concentration and effort, which can detract from the interaction with the subject. Travel photography is a perfect example of this, where lugging around a backpack full of heavy photo gear often profoundly altered my experience of many exciting and relaxing destinations. In fact, this exact issue (travelling with too much equipment) prompted the popularity of “nimble photography,” which is being popularized by Derrick Story.

On the other hand, I believe that the effect that photography has on the experience is well worth the effort and attention that it requires. To be clear, I don’t think that the main value of photography is in documenting the experience. Rather, it is in forming the experience. In this respect, photography is similar to writing, which does not simply express a pre-existing idea, but serves to crystallize the idea or a viewpoint through the writing process itself.

In the case of travel photography, researching the destination for possible photo locations, looking for shots and taking time to take them is what allows me to formulate my impression of the place and people, who live or visit there. Carrying a camera is then similar to an artist’s carrying brushes and sketchbook. As to the question of whether a DSLR is necessary or if an iPhone would suffice, I prefer to paint with high-quality brushes on good watercolour paper rather than with a blade of grass on a napkin. In other words, I find it very liberating, from the creative standpoint, not to be limited by the equipment.

It would certainly be sad to pursue an experience merely for the story that could be told about it in the future (as this is what a photo is – a condensed story in a single picture, the one that is, hopefully, worth a thousand words). But creating that story can actually shape the experience itself. I think that in this the storytelling has a tremendous power.