Willow Trunk – © John Neel

It is easy to make images of the new, the exotic and the distant. Things that are close and familiar are much harder to see.

Every time we wander out to take photographs, most of us scoot right past nearly everything out there. In our quest for the images that seem to stand out from the ordinary we tend to take all the rest of it completely for granted. Yet we breathe the air, touch the ground, and witness the world through all of our senses. It is, at least in part, those everyday, ‘mundane’ things that we seem to completely ignore. We ignore them because we are detached. We don’t pay them much mind in the same way we don’t pay attention to our own shadows. They are simply there, seemingly insignificant and irrelevant to what we are doing at any given minute. Yet if we analyze the most common of things, we may find that they are actually image worthy.

Is there a way to photograph the ordinary or the obvious? I believe there is.

For me, it has to do with being mindful.

When I confront the natural world, I try to see everything as an abundance of miracles. Stopping and looking with the right frame of mind opens up every kind of amazing subject. To me, everything is amazing! Everything has potential for spirituality and appreciation. And anything can be potential subject for making a photograph.

Mindfulness seems to be the answer for finding a path for seeing. Respecting the idea that everything is a miracle is a way to see the world and all that it is made of. To me, it is the way to truth. The idea of a connection with everything else is a key to understanding the world. That same belief is a key to conveying that concept through art and photography.

Of course there are things in the world that seem to deny reverence. There are certainly ugly things that seem to counter the argument that everything is miraculous. Certainly war and illness are not what we might like to call miracles. There are also those ruthless people who seem to only admire power and money. All of these things are topics for imaging as well. When viewed with a newfound sensitivity, they can become the stimulus for much of our work. They become the subjects of our photography because they go against the natural order. They become the things we fight against because they are evil.

Car Wash – © John Neel

How do you tap into this seemingly mundane subject matter?

I believe everyone needs to bring their awareness level up a notch or two.

We can start by believing that the little things are not so little. We can begin to respect that breathing and seeing are amazing miracles. Our bodies are miracles and so are our minds. Every cell and every moment should be seen as a wonder of life. And light is the most wonderful of all wonders. It is the light that allows us to see all of the other wonders that we are connected to.

It also allows us to see what we have been doing to our world by not respecting what it is. We begin to question the importance of the man-made, the effects we have on nature, and our relationships with other life on this planet. The things we produce and the things we use are things we can question. How we use the natural world becomes important to how we choose to live our lives. Awareness can influence how we live our lives.

TeePee – © John Neel

When we are mindful of the way things are, we begin to see the things that have eluded us. All of a sudden, things begin to have value and we begin to see the world in a new way. One begins to respect all life in new ways.

As Photographers, light is only one of the ways to view the world. We need to use all of our senses. Breathing, touching and seeing are also important for appreciating what we experience.

What do you take for granted?

Once you become truly mindful, the smallest things become important. The world opens up and you begin to notice things that can produce amazing images. You begin to see light itself as a subject.

For me, the idea is to realize the concept that life itself is an amazing phenomenon. Daily practice is the best way of increasing that kind of awareness. Like most things we want to do well, it takes some work and commitment to become mindful.

This place we call Earth is a most beautiful and amazing place. It is all we have, and at the same time it is everything we need. Being mindful is a first step for protecting it from harm.

In nature, there are no places that are more or less miraculous than any other. The whole world exists as a miracle. Everything should be seen as a part of the rest of what exists. Nothing should be taken for granted. It all works in harmony to support life.

Respect all things. Be amazed by the way the world works.

For me, it is the best way to be alive. It is the only way to live.

It’s all a matter of perspective.

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Please have a look at some of my other posts here.

NOTICE of Copyright: THIS POSTING AS WELL AS ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, GALLERY IMAGES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE COPYRIGHT © JOHN NEEL AND ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE WRITER, THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR lensgarden.com. THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE AUTHOR.