I am a mother. A wife, a daughter, a minister. I've been a nurse, a cotton chipper, a student. When a camera comes up to the eye, or a potential image has been spotted, I am at that moment a photographer. I chat with people all over the place from the space of photography and images. I follow various photographers on you tube who bring their unique take on the world. Some have been all sorts of other things in life. But when any of them, like me, bring a camera up for an image, they are photographers. |
There is a common humanity that engages us all no matter our background, cultural expression, religious or faith holding, spirituality, relationships, or job (or none), or health status. No matter what the difference is between us that might divide us and create enmity, when any of us, bring a camera up for an image, we all become a photographer. Image capturers, story tellers, creative expressionists, lost to that one small moment of life unfolding before us, and something in that moment inviting us to hold it. A breath where commonality of being human levels us all. The rest of who we are fades into the shadows in that one moment of capturing light.
For me this leveller connects me to much of humanity, connects me to multiple stories, ideas, expressions, conversations, and acts as a common beginning point that values the other, because they will see the world differently to me, and capture it differently. And I want to enjoy what they bring, how they see it, how it tells something of the bigger human story. Something of our place with and within, and the connection we have to all of creation and ultimately Creator in the world. In that moment when a camera comes up, the rest of who are doesn't exist, we just are with what just is, in front of us.