method – 18 – The Camera as an Observing Eye – Apperception

The Camera as an Observing Eye – Apperception

The camera is an important tool. She sharpens my focus. For example, I take pictures of passages of text, plants, the position of the sun, and animals. As I’ve looked at these photos, I’ve realized that my perception and focus when taking pictures are no accident. The photos show me that I’m looking for something specific, that something interests me in particular, or that I want to capture a feeling through photography. I want to capture a sense of the world—the relationship I establish with it, and how I have anchored myself in it, or wish to anchor myself in it. I connect a feeling within me, a historical insight, with the world outside. I capture this moment and thus snatch it away from its fleeting decay and disappearance. I realize that I am questioning the principles that govern our societies: I find myself thinking the following:

The dignity of human beings, the dignity of animals, plants, water, the sky, air, light, insects, bees, and bumblebees must not be violated. It is November 2, 2017. My most faithful companion at the moment is a fly seeking to spend the winter in the kitchen. It has clung to the cool glas and remains still.