After one of the batches of photos I posted on Facebook over the past few days during our travels in California, Kimo responded with a fair question.

He asked:

Do you ever take time to experience your life for yourself or is it always for everyone else here
just wondering
or as they say
just saying

Here’s the deal.

Yes, I enjoy sharing my photos with others. But that’s not their primary purpose. And taking photographs isn’t the opposite of the “experience of life for yourself,” at least not in my view.

I find that carrying a camera makes me appreciate the moment more. It forces me to concentrate on what I’m seeing and experiencing in order to better “see” moments that have visual impact, that capture a place, a smile, a shadow, a landscape, whatever. It requires its own discipline. I’m prompted to pay attention to elements of a scene as I search out bits and pieces that can represent what I’m seeing or experiencing. I have to focus on the life I’m experiencing and find some meaning in there. I’m not always successful. Most of the time we’re wandering in rather mundane surroundings, which make it a challenge.

Being able to share the resulting photos with you and others is a convenient and happy byproduct.

So, again in my view, it’s incorrect to assume that dichotomy between “real” experience and that same experience mediated by the camera lens. The camera reminds me that the world around us isn’t made up of some swirling, undifferentiated experience. It’s made up of elements that can be put together and understood in different ways, which makes it more interesting and exciting.

But, on the other hand…

Below is a batch of photos taken Saturday night at a birthday party that two friends threw for themselves (and a large group of family, friends, co-workers, etc) in a winery in Oakland. I have to admit that at moments like this, I do partially forgo my own partying in order to work the crowd and get enough pictures to represent the experience. In this particular case, I noticed that there wasn’t any official photography, so informally stepped up as part of my birthday present to them. I did manage to drink a bit of wine and, as some point in the evening, had to start trusting my camera more than usual. Luckily, it did the job for both of us.

One other point worth making. I’m basically a shy person. In a setting like this, the camera initially forces me to interact with strangers in order to get their cooperation for photos, and that creates sort of an instant familiarity that can open a door to further interactions and conversations. A personality aid, perhaps.

Whew. I apologize for taking so long for my quick reply to a legitimate question.

Oh, and the photos.