I was thinking about this the other day. When we photograph something, we say.. “Capture” “Take” “Create” “Make” .. so on..
This idea came to me, after a discussion on getting vs being open to receive.
Here is the idea of getting verses receiving.
We often strive to get somewhere, to get something, to get ahead, to get going, to get someone else to do something. It is an act of doing, being forceful, putting energy out there.
Energy can only flow in one direction at a time. While we are putting it out, there isn’t room for allowing it in. Energy in the form of ideas, thoughts, and creativity that is already around us.
There’s an entirely different energy around receiving. When we’re in “receiving mode,” we’re far more able to see the opportunities that manifests for us in response to our intent. We’re not so bent on “getting” where we want to be by the means we think are available.
Think of it this way, if we set out – especially in nature photography, with the idea of getting a certain image – say the ideal image of an Oak Tree. But all we pass are Pine Trees. Are we able to stop and receive the beauty and magic that is already around us, if we are so focused on just that one thing?
The above description is more of an act seeing. What about the camera?
What if we think of the camera as a radio receiver, not of radio waves, but of light. We tune it to match our perception, our vision at that present time. We do this by pointing it and making fine tuning adjustments.
This way it is more of a receiver than something that takes.
Instead of capturing something, we received it because we were tuned in.