Carefree Timelessness and Photography: Guest Post, photographer Kent Weakley

That’s it! I think I’ve figured it out. I love when an unexpected “ah-ha” moment just strikes out of the blue.

I’ve often wondered why I enjoy photography so much. What makes me keep doing it? After all it’s a process, sometimes even a tiring one. From finding a decent subject, to getting the right light and exposure, to downloading, processing and printing or posting, it can be a ton of work. Many times I return exhausted physically, however mentally and spiritually rejuvenated, but why?

• Is it our ego and our desire for approval from others? Maybe.
• Is it seeing something in a way that nobody else has seen before? Perhaps.
• Is it exploring and seeking adventure around us that makes us get excited about photography? Sure, it is.
• Is it creative, artistic expression that motivates us? Of course,
• It’s really all of these and more. But what is the ‘more’?

Until now I couldn’t put my finger on the missing element. I was recently given an inspirational CD by Matthew Kelly. In one of his talks, he mentions the importance of ‘carefree timelessness’. That’s it! I know exactly what he’s referring to. This is the missing link to why photographing can be such a powerful experience.

In his explanation, our relationships flourish when we give them carefree timelessness. And it’s so true. In our hectic busy lives, we usually put work and our to-do lists before family, friends, and our real priorities.

Think about how busy your day is, running here doing this and doing that, only to reach the end of the day with things still not checked off your list and more things added. How much carefree timelessness did you give your relationships today?

Well I can say, I’m very fortunate to have a weekly lunch date with my BFF (a.k.a. wife). Little did I realize, we’ve been practicing ‘carefree timelessness’ for many years now. And you know what? It works. I know because when we can’t have “our day” for one reason of another, we get a bit out of sync.
Other times in my life when I experience carefree timelessness include:

• family game night
• chatting with friends on the phone or Skype
• working in the yard or garden
• reading a good book
• camping with the boy scouts
• hiking or exploring
• just hanging out with my boys
• writing blog posts
• and especially on vacation

So what does this have to do with photography, you’re probably asking? Good question.

We often think of photography as a process, or a task. I think we can all agree that photography is about much more than a camera, some settings, or even the final print. Isn’t photography really a relationship?

If relationships flourish when we give them carefree timelessness, photography is no exception. I know for me, especially when photographing outdoors, I spend countless hours just being in the moment, looking, observing, exploring, all carefree. This is very much not like the rest of my scheduled, listed, and programmed life.

I really think this is the missing link. Why else would we be so passionate about our images? Because we’re each deeply committed to our own personal relationship with photography, and the time we’ve devoted to the entire creative process.

So if we know carefree timelessness benefits our relationship with photography, what’s stopping us? There are two things that come to mind:

One thing that will keep us from being carefree while photographing, is struggling with camera settings or understanding our camera. Perhaps this is an underlaying reason why I enjoy teaching people the pleasures of photography. I really want everyone to get to the point where they can have carefree timelessness experiences with photography, that aren’t interrupted because of confusion over techniques or the mechanics of making photos.

The second thing stopping us from growing our relationship with photography is time, or lack of time rather. There’s nothing worse than forcing a photo because there isn’t time. I know first-hand that trying to get a shot quickly just because I don’t have time to commit, usually ends without a decent photo and in frustration. Darcy has a great post about prioritizing time, I suggest reading, if you haven’t already. Using the techniques she describes will help create extra carefree timelessness for your relationship with photography.

Let me give you an example. On a trip a couple of years ago I had an extra day to spend, my journey was happily carefree and I was running on pure instinct. I was sorta close (about 300 miles away) to one of my favorite places on earth, Monument Valley, so I re-charted my course to take in this beautiful landscape, once more.

My day started before dawn when I positioned myself for the pre-dawn light (top image). The air was cold and crisp, but I remember not caring or worrying as this gorgeous scene unfolded before me. At one point I vaguely remember a couple of Navajo police asking me to move my vehicle and leave the area. I was almost in a trance from being so fixed on the light, that I barely remember pleading with them that “I just have to get this shot. Look at this view.” Perhaps they understood my state of carefree timelessness as they left me alone.

The day continued and unfolded and I moved effortlessly from scene to scene just exploring and seeing. Thinking back now, I can recall almost every event from that day in great detail. Everything was so clear and vivid. I have to believe it was at least partially because I gave myself to the experience completely with no interferences. There was no cell phone, no email, no iPad, no lists, no nothing, just moments with light and a camera.

You may be saying, “well heck, I would be carefree too if I had a full free day at Monument Valley, which has no cell phone service”. And while this may be an extreme example, we can make timeless carefree moments anywhere, at anytime, if we think about it. Take 15 minutes during your lunch break and just sit near that flower bed with your camera. You might be surprised at the little world that is going on in there. Or perhaps plan a family hike this weekend at a local park. Step away from the computer for a pre-determined amount of time, grab your camera, and just go observe.
The more we give our relationship with photography, that more it gives us in return.

Kent Weakley runs an educational photography blog titled Photography by Kent Weakley, where he shares photography tips, links to other photographers, and his love for photography with anyone who’s interested. He is currently offering online eClasses in Night Photography and Photography Composition. You can also find him on Twitter, Flickr, and Facebook.