Do you have what it takes?

Recently, I’ve discovered a love for things I’ve never had any interest before – for kimchi and photography (see previous posts). Although I don’t dislike kimchi now, I won’t say that I’m addicted to it. Photography, however, is different. I am totally in love with photography. I guess this stems from my frustration in my art work. There are just some things that I cannot paint or sketch, like beautiful landscapes or magnificent sunsets. And I discovered that I can still capture these captivating works of nature through the lens.

But I am slowly realizing that being a photographer is not at all easy. You have to ask yourself, “Do you have what it takes?”. Having an “eye” for things is not enough. You have to have this X factor in photography. You have to have guts and a certain level of detachment and brashness.

I remember in the movie “Before Sunset”, Julie (the female lead) was talking about her non-committing photographer boyfriend. She says that he goes on a trance when he starts to photograph things. He becomes totally detached to people, treating them as subjects.

You can’t be a photographer if you are timid and attached. Sometimes, you have to pry into people’s lives, encroaching into their minds and emotions, looking into their eyes and souls, and immortalizing into photographs their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. This takes a lot of courage, much conviction and total dedication to one’s craft.

I still have this hesitation to take photos of people in the streets, of children innocently playing around, of old people walking aimlessly about, of couples doing what lovers do. I don’t know if I can be attached enough to capture their emotions, but at the same time detached, so as not to drown in other people’s sorrows and jubilation. I am still asking myself, “Do I have what it takes?”.



24 April 2007
Tuesday
3:05 pm
Penang (at the office)