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Aug 13
in Photography Teachings

Fifth “P”…. Patience

 

  … “This is the moment…NOW…”…. Although there are serendipitous events which align to produce wonderful ‘spontaneous’ images; what I am realising over time is that Photography is really the art of learning to be PATIENT.

I have found it very easy to get caught up in my excitement and the energy in my body when I feel something I want to photograph. I am learning that I must feel and observe this excitement – but not let it rush me… not let it pull me away from being PRESENT and letting the fullness of other opportunities to become evident.

When I am not PATIENT, I find I am rushing things – not being PRESENT; missing things – not being observant or aware; stopping opportunities to become apparent; or becoming frustrated – expecting an outcome quickly by not being PATIENT with myself.

I am learning that Patience doesn’t mean going in slow motion. Patience for me is mindful awareness – PRESENCE; and allowing the opening and flow of something to take its best course.

Years ago I saw the light catch a phenomenon in the water when our son James was little and we were playing together. I was SOOO excited!!! It was summer holidays, and at that time in my life I wasn’t actively pursuing Fine Art Photography, and although I loved taking photographs, it wasn’t high on my priority list – especially in the summer holidays when my role as a mum was my first priority. For the next year I kept thinking about how I could photograph what I saw – because as any photographer knows – it’s all about the light…. and I needed the sun to be high in the sky to get the light right on the vortex. I needed to be PATIENT.  The next summer holidays I borrowed a Nikon Coolpix 5000 to see what I could photograph.

 

 

I was dripping wet…. shuffling a towel under my feet to the office where our computer was at that time. I could not contain my excitement when I saw the images on the computer. This was the beginning of my love affair with photography and learning about myself through photography. I will expand upon this in a post at a later time.

What I learned was that I had a feeling – a visceral feeling in my body of excitement – and I needed to honour that excitement and idea by being PATIENT and letting it develop fully. I needed to not rush it; not get impatient because I couldn’t do it when I wanted last year; not get frustrated because I hadn’t even heard of ‘Photoshop’. I needed to open to all possibilities of its exploration…not just stop there because I had a few ‘great’ images.

 

 

Since then I have learned that PATIENCE is required in ALL types of photography; planning for
an excursion; waiting for animals to be in the ‘right’ position; waiting for people to be in the right position; waiting for the right light; learning new technical skills; learning new processing skills; learning printing skills; learning how to deal with Gallery directors; letting a philosophical idea to mature and evolve.  This all takes time to evolve and develop ….with PATIENCE.

I am learning to be patient in the landscape, so instead of rushing and ‘grabbing’ an image… I take my time to feel and connect… to write, sketch, draw, walk, smell, touch, listen. I patiently experience myself within the environment where I am photographing. Being PATIENT has such reward for me… and has enriched my experience of photographing in the landscape and connection with myself.

 

I am learning to be PATIENT with myself in my ability to learn new skills. I have learned the value of being PATIENT with myself to let ideas evolve and gestate….to strengthen and deepen. PATIENCE involves being PRESENT. I can still have PASSION and be PLAYFUL…. all I require is to be gentle in my process and with mindful awareness …and this does take PRACTICE to master.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

“No road is too long for him who advances slowly and does not hurry, and no attainment is beyond his reach who equips himself with patience to achieve it”.

(Jean de Bruyere)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will write a lot more over the coming months and examine in my workshop; about PATIENCE in photography and each of the 5 Principles which I have recently outlined. Love to hear from you about your thoughts and experiences in being PATIENT… or any of the other principles I have written about recently. 🙂

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About the Author: Julie
I am a Journeywoman. I live my life as an explorer. An adventurer. An Observer. An Artist. There is no differentiation between how I live my life and the art that is an expression of it. It is through my experience adventuring the unknown, that I learn more about myself. My aim through this connection is to live where my expression is fully in alignment with the essence of who I am. “In the field of Fine-Art Photography, Julie stands apart from others with the way she sees the world and expresses her connection within it. Julie Stephenson’s photographs are sublime. Her work is an expression of her deep connection; and a gift to the world.”

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2 Comments:

  1. Neil Burton
    August 13, 2012
    Log in to Reply

    Thank you Julie for sharing your wisdom with the 5 P’s. You have brilliantly articulated your thoughts.

    Many times I have experienced late afternoon magical light – which drives a feeling of euphoric panic to get the shot. Rainforest near my home comes alive with late afternoon golden light reflected off low cumulus clouds billowing overhead during summer. Such is the excitement, that shortcomings which are missed during shooting become obvious in post processing. Too often I have missed a technical or creative detail – due to not being fully present and fully appreciating the emotion of what I was witnessing.

    One thing that I appreciate about tripods and cable releases – is that they impose a discipline to S L O W down which can help with being present. Presence can also require sitting and feeling the emotion of the landscape – rather than reaching for the camera as a reflex action.

    Presence helps you be aware of how light changes – it can often shift dramatically and is rarely constant. Patience gives you faith to wait for it to come to you and work the shot rather than chase the rainbow and miss the capture all together.

    Thanks again for sharing and the work that you have put into this.

    Neil

    • Julie
      August 14, 2012
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      Thank you so much Neil for your most thoughtful and considered post of your own experience of the 5 “P”‘s of Photography.

      Your sharing has also supported others to understand how having awareness of these principles can support one’s own experience and expression of themselves through their photography.

      and… it has been an absolute pleasure and privelige to be able to share my own thoughts and experience through my Blog… and it has been quite fun, rather than work. 🙂

      Julie


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skeinydipping

I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have t I looked down and saw my hands. Hands which have touched; have loved; have created; have worked; have nurtured. My hands.   

I looked down and saw on my wrist and fingers items from around the world which have so many stories; items which have all been created from the heart and made by the hands of others. 

I looked down and saw beautiful yarn. Yarn which has been handled carefully through shearing, dyeing, skeining, balling; and now being knit in my beautiful hands. 

My hands are one of my gifts. This year I’ve really missed the touch of another with my hands, to feel the heart of another through my fingertips; but so grateful and love my hands which touch and feel; work and play!

What do you see when you look at your hands?

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Knitting a fabulous  #slipstravaganzamkal by @westknits .
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#gratitudeattitude #westknitsarethebestknits #westknitsmkal2020 #knittersofinstagram #knittersoftheworld #knittersofaustralia #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #handmade #handmadejewellery #fromtheheart #createeveryday #livetotravel #healing #healinghands #creativehands
My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories My life is wonderful… and I have so many stories. I’ve had adventures on all continents. Slept being rocked by the sea; felt the ice on my skin in both polar regions, and felt the silence of the deserts. I’ve walked stone steps in monasteries at altitudes where each step I’ve taken consciously and mindfully; focussing on treasuring every molecule of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere. 

COVID has paused those adventures, but I draw upon my experiences as I navigate adventuring my days in a different way, on our ‘home range’. 

I recall my steps in Tibet as I walk through our bushland. I am mindful and conscious of my surroundings. I listen. I feel. I feel happy here. I am content.

My new stories may not hold the same experiences of connection with others; and may not be of extreme challenges or crazy things  (which I am rather prone to doing! 🙂 ) but they are not less wondrous… as I smell the warm eucalyptus waft from under my feet. 

I weave my stories, and this story is of my personal journey on my daily walk through our bushland. 
You can see some of my other woven stories on my website - link in profile. 

How do you express your life’s stories?
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#weaversofinstagram #indiedyedyarn #indiedyed #rigidheddleloomweaving #ashford #inspiredbynature #contentcreator #emotionalbalance #homedeco #handcrafted #makersmovement #creativelifehappylife #wellbeing #travellerlife #journeywoman #weavingaustralia
“....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those “....The Assookinakii cowl was created for those times in your life when you need a meditative and healing knit. Assookinakii (ass-s-oo-kin-uh-k-EE) means ‘healer’ in the Blackfeet language, thank you to Cut Woods School in Browning, MT for the tradish language support”. –  Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers 

Knitting this beautiful cowl by Candice from @thefarmersdaughterfibers for @sistersunitedmt ; WAS healing. 

As my hands gently formed the repetitive stitches I reflected on the word ‘Assookinakii ‘ - healer. I am a healer. I don’t understand it. It’s something unseen. Something within me which has been recognised by Ngangkari and ‘clever men’ here in Australia; and shaman and healers around the world as we travel. This recognition always has caught me by surprise; as I seem to walk a line between two worlds. 

As the stitches slipped from one needle to another and the beautiful colours of @spincycle_yarns revealed themselves; in the pauses between the stitches I heard a voice whispering to continue to seek connection with the natural world and listen deeply. 

What has been healing for you this year?
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#healingjourney #meditationpractice #dyedinthewool #assookinakii_cowl #knittersofinstagram #knittingaddict #livinglifetothefullest #happydays #shaman #healer #healersofinstagram #listentoyourheart #indiedyedyarn #handmadewithlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersoftheworld
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2017 All photographs created by and property of Julie Stephenson.