Do you shoot what you are?

[Seriche]

Katy,

I haven't had enough time to read the style thread and article in detail, but will do so tomorrow. I'd completely forgotten that today is Wednesday, which means a day off with my daughter Don't want to rush the reply, but will get there.

Your comment about Dustin Hoffman was on the mark. A lot of famous people are disappointing in real life (I've met a few) mostly because we imagine them to be so much more than they are, when generally they're either just like us or think they're gods and make very boring company

Do you recommend 'Vision and Voice'?

I haven't shot domestic interiors as yet - probably because taking up photography has turned my home upside down. I have to wade waist high through jetsom in the front room and refuse to let the meter men in!

*Love* to cook, and adore being a mum, but housework? Remember that phrase? - a woman who has every hair in place has hair in place of a brain

Until,

Seri

[Seriche]

I will share my little spin on the subject if you may, Seri. For me, knowing at what stage of development you are in is important to understand why you are interested in photographing something. There is what we call conscious and subconscious style of photographing things.

Beginning stage:

- You just got your camera, you still don't know how to use its feature nor understand the principle behind using the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. More so, you literally have no idea what it means to compose a shot properly. So, looking around, you point the camera to something "that caught your attention" and you shoot it. Did it reflect who you are inside whether as an introvert or as an extrovert type of individual? I don't think so. So you shoot and you shoot. later on, you begin to get a grasp of how a large aperture opening creates creative images while some slight blur using slow shutter speeds create drama to a scene. You also now begin to be a little bit bold on your choice of subjects. Why? because now you have the knowledge of using the camera to augment the idea you have in your mind.

Intermediate stage:

This is where you explore the creative side of you. You now try to incorporate testing different lenses (if you have some). You also try to put emphasis on the technical side of making an image. You usually ask yourself questions like "Would this look good if I use shallow depth of field?" or "Should I go low on my perspective or should I shoot at eye level on this one?" At this stage, you are still on the mastery of your technical skills but not yet much on exploring your inner voice. The inner voice comes out later (if you would allow me to explain why). So, at this stage, you are not confined to just one genre. You can be fascinated with nature, landscape, human emotion, macros, abstract, and others. You are experimenting and applying what you have learned on the beginners stage.

Higher intermediate stage:

At this stage, you are really proficient in using your camera. It becomes "natural" for you once you see a scene in front of you as to what shutter speed and aperture do you want to use to create a good image. You are not hesitant anymore in using your camera, rather, you are now like a hunter - just waiting for the right moment to capture the scene with your camera as your weapon already set in the right setting to finish the kill (or press the shutter button). Since you have no deficiency in understanding how your camera works, you tend to see a pattern emerging from your images, whether consciously or subconsciously a pattern does emerge. This is where your question comes into play - am I an introvert or an extrovert?

The Creative Stage.

I did not call this the advanced stage because it has no meaning. Advanced on what? On using the camera? If you are dead serious with photography this is just one of your ultimate goals - to know how to use your choice of equipment. The camera is the tool and you have to fully master it to make good images. On the other hand, it is you that needs to bring out your creative side to share who you are on the outside world.

Some professional photographers are bounded by elements that are either within their control or not. Case in point - some take photography because it is a good source of income. They create stunning portrait shots and do commercial photography because they ENJOY it and it pays good. But if you would have the chance to talk to one of them and ask: "is this the type of photography that you really want to do?" You might be surprised that some of them would say "maybe, not". On the side, some of them would go sabbatical or take a break from their typical routine and travel. Then comes the revelation, he was actually more fascinated and has a deeper connection doing photojournalistic work than shooting models and product shots. Would he pursue it? Only he can answer that for us. What I am driving at is that only when you are at the creative stage in your development as a photographer that you would see your "self" being shared to the viewers. You tend to show more negative emotion (like feeling of loneliness) on your images or most of your images are about happiness and bright objects. We always want to show our comfort side even in our choice of photography.

The only pitfall with compartmentalizing who we are in our photography is to limit our understanding of that person. Even our personality changes from time to time (what we call cycles in life). Sometimes you show the happy side of you even if you are an introvert and so at that moment your images show happiness. Now, does that go against your personality? I don't think so. What i do know, from experience is that your DOMINANT trait would usually reveal itself more than your SUB-DOMINANT trait. I tell you, even if you have known what is your dominant and sub-dominant personality if you are still on the beginning and intermediate stage of development in photography it would be hard to pinpoint your exact style yet.

I hope this makes sense to you. I know it does for me because this is how I saw myself on my photographic journey. Even in the field of music, I always experiment on different genres. In the end, I revert back to certain types of music that stirs my soul like love songs, classical, soul, but not hip hop as I am an introvert, intuitive, thinking, and perceiving individual or what they call as INTP type of personality. "Arts speaks loudly to me" and I from personal evaluation agrees to the statement with clarity. I am hoping that I could further develop myself to arrive at the creative stage so I can clearly express myself on the images that I make. As for now, I am still trying to master my camera and the technical side of photography to achieve that.

Thank you for listening.

Jiro,

I found your 'Stages of Development' fascinating, and I think they would apply to all of the arts. (I've bookmarked them for future reference). I'd imagine that the Creative Stage is what we all hope to achieve.

I have no experience of the later stages, but it sounds like something to be greatly looked forward to, and makes sense to me on a theoretical level. I'd be very interested to hear if it reflects the experiences of other photographers here who are already at the post-beginner stages.


The only thing I'd question is what you said about the beginners stage. Most of it parallels my own experience, but I think that even at that early stage most people with a camera will make either conscious or subconscious choices about what they point their cameras at. At its most basic, they will generally point it at what they love, be it family, nature, pets etc., (and I admit that it's also affected by how shy we are about using a camera in public).

I do wonder if subject choice is a rather simple and superficial decision, or if there is any deeper motivation for it. I don't know. Do we always tend to simply photograph subjects that we like in real life? Maybe at first, but I can't see that happening at your later stages. You're right in that as we progress we do things much more for ourselves,l and that would reveal much deeper things about what we are.

You later mentioned two of my favourite actors: Gary Oldman and Tim Robbins. Steve Buscemi doesn't fit in there, but I have to mention him because he's got such charisma (as Garland Green for instance ).

Thank you for your thoughtful and thought-inspiring contribution, Jiro.

Seri

[Seriche]

I, too have watched this thread evolve and on more than one occasion been tempted to add a little philosophical discourse, but there wasn't a moment that seemed right..until now and only because when I walked into my house from various poking and proddings by various doctors, I saw this exact same light and while I cannot capture it this time because of my camera's status, I was able to while up in Maine..

The funny part of this photo is that it was never meant to be seen by anyone else...I saw a type of light that simply made me smile and thinking back on that moment, I realize that much of what I shoot is an attempt to capture a certain moment (type is not the right word as my light is almost always a morning or evening light - and, there is a defined subtlety to it that only once in a blue moon, I capture exactly as I envisioned it..I think); it is a time of day and it is ever so fleeting.

So, I guess I am slightly Arith-mastic, Noellistic, Haaslike, DMack-e-velly-vely goodian, Jiroenvyious and Mashallesque and a lot a Yan Zhang wannabe...and a little bit of everyone else. Somewhere in all that mess of otherness, there lies an exceptionally complicated, though quite simple old man still trying to capture that one perfect moment of light. I think we're all a bit crazy...and that's good; I am not alone.

Hi Chris

You can feel free to jump in at any time. I'm not a linear thinker and don't mind where this thread goes, so take it where you will.

I understand what you're saying about your shooting being 'an attempt to capture a certain moment', but given that there are many such moments that could be turned into photographs, I'm wondering what it might be in our personalities that causes us to focus on one thing and not another.

For instance, if the wonderful light you caught there was falling on something quite different, and interesting, of course, would you still want to photograph it?

I don't feel I'm saying this very well, but is there something about that very warm and inviting interior that reflects a little bit of you? (as Steve was saying).

I've known a lot of musicians and artists over the years, but have to admit that I think that photographers are definitely far more out to lunch It feels good here, and I've been wandering for quite a while looking for a place to nest where I won't be mobbed for being different

That really is a beautiful image. Flawless to my eye

Thanks for joining in, Light-Hunter,

Seri

P.S. (Hope this doctor thing is nothing serious)

[Seriche]

For a long time the tears were others that loved more than my very life. And every time I think about it the tears come. It's hard to even type about it. Watching someone you love go through something that is so terribly wrong and to be completely powerless to help is... hard. Hard doesn't even beging to express. it. Nobody said life is fair and there are some things in life that can't foresee or possibly prepare yourself for. Then there are the tears that come from wondering if the decisions we made during that time were the right ones, the best ones... tears of guilt wondering if they were the wrong decisions. Tears of guilt knowing that others have traveled a path far worse than mine... I would never wish this path on anyone.

Of late, most of the tears are for myself. Tears of mourning lost dreams of mine and those that I love.

Tears of letting my walls down and letting someone in... sharing everything with them... and they walk away even though they said they never would...



I try to physically exhaust myself. I walk and walk and walk, exercise, work around the house... and yet... if I sleep 4 broken up hours that's a good night's sleep. Anger? Hmmm... I think when I really get angry, I let it out... but, usually, I get hurt not so much angry...



I totally understand this.



Nah. Me and Lucy area package deal.



I can 'relate' to them... but yes, I feel a distance or separate from them. It sounds strange, I know... and I'm not a strange person... I'm completely normal. I know what you mean...it is terribly hard to express.



I'll try...

Mary,

I think the hardest thing in life is to watch someone you love suffer and be able to do nothing about it. If there's something we can do it provides hope and release, but if not we can only empathise and feel helpless.

But just being with someone as they go through their suffering is enormously helpful.

I once nearly died in a car crash. I was rushed to hospital and was bleeding so much that they didn't think I could take an anaesthetic so they crowded round me in surgery stitching me up so fast to stop the blood loss that they left all the glass inside (they took it out three days later).

There was no pain at all - it cut off as soon as I went through that windscreen - but I was young, and terrified that I'd been blinded because of all the blood. The one thing I remember more than anything else was that they brought in a nurse just to hold my hand. I held hers so tightly, and felt enormous gratitude that she was there for me. And if we're in pain we need that kind of contact so much (human or animal, of course )

It sounds as though you've lately been going through a kind of catharsis, and that's a good thing. It can act as a catalyst to make positive changes in our lives. I went through mine eleven years ago. Luckily I had someone to guide me through it - a friend who gave me the courage to do what had to be done. With his support I made some radical changes, and have never regretted any of them for a moment. It was an act of kindness to myself and I believe it literally saved my life because I felt so trapped that I was allowing myself to fall ill and nearly died of pneumonia shortly before I made the decision to transform my life.

People do sometimes let us down, but it's best to forget about them and not let it destroy our faith in others. Most people, I find, are good inside, even if they don't appear as such on the outside, but we all make mistakes and trust those who don't deserve it. But betrayal is a terrible thing and I'm so sorry that it happened to you. It hurts like hell at the time, but the memory will fade.

I'm glad to hear that you can release your anger. I'm not one for psycho-anythings, but maybe hurt is suppressed anger, and if you work out why you're hurt you can express it as anger and not keep it all inside.

You don't need me to tell you that you need more sleep. Have you tried all the ways to help you get more shut-eye?

What you're saying about distance or separation from others doesn't sound strange at all to me, but I'm hardly 'normal' to begin with. I live in a very materialistic and money-oriented place, but I never wanted all that and so sometimes I feel like an alien because I can't relate to the values of people around me. That's my feeling of separation, but yours might have a quite different reason.

No rush about the self-portrait. I'd just love to see how you'd portray yourself

Seri

[Seriche]

Well since we are all getting self-indulgent....I am opinionated, incorrigible and prone to total flights of fancy. I have 3 gears

Quotidian.....in which I photograph cats bottoms in predictable semi-rural settings



Excogitative....in which I shoot cats bottoms in unusual settings



Esoteric.....where I walk around in my brain searching for the money shot. very much like Snitter trapped inside a garden shed that he thinks is the inside of his own head. It is disconcerting when you look out at the world from inside your own head. Most of the time we look at the world through borrowed spectacles. Some even have laser treatment so they can avoid seeing their own thoughts altogether



So you see I only shoot what I am when I dare to fall into my own head (you really should read Adam's Plague Dogs) The rest of the time I am producing images of cats bottoms - for the uninitiated this is reference to photographs that we shoot because we think we rather should - Good form, the predictable - we can only question your camera settings rather than your sanity - a safe and familiar world. Ok, so if its safe and warm and gives you that fuzzy feeling why on earth should we shoot what we really see. Simple - because unless we stand behind the lens naked we can never really shoot with honesty and inhibition. Once we are honest to ourselves it starts to seep into every image. We do not shoot what we are but a little bit of who we are is embedded in what we shoot.

I know this appears flippant after all the deep and meaningful stuff above....but really it isn't. Wirefox has just left the garden shed

Steve, I enjoyed your meanderings enormously. You seeded so many new thoughts in that post, but in the limited time I have today I can respond to only a few.

Can't read 'Plague Dogs' after suffering through 'Watership Down' - I've never been able to listen to 'Bright Eyes' since without it conjuring up images of rabbits with mixy on our common - makes me weep every time. I'm tough as nails with adults, but kids and animals are a real weak spot with me. Can't even bring myself to dispatch the bunnies, though I know how to, and know I should.

That bit about the 'borrowed spectacles' is so true. As many people don't think for themselves, most don't see for themselves either.

You were talking about shooting what we see, but first we have to learn how to see (Betty Edwards collated that very nicely in her 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain' books).

Franck's 'The Zen of Seeing' has some lines I've never forgotten:

We do a lot of looking: we see through lenses, telescopes, television tubes.........our looking is perfected every day - but we see less and less.........."Subjects" we are that look at "objects".

Quickly we stick labels on all that is, labels that stick once and for all. By these labels we recognize everything, but no longer *see* anything.

..........Millions of people, unseeing, joyless, bluster through life in their half-sleep, hitting, kicking, and killing what they have barely perceived. They have never learned to see.

Wyeth said something similar when explaining this self portrait. He said:

A self-portrait. It was after a dangerous eight-hour operation on my lung. Afterward I walked and walked the country around Chadds, getting my strength back, wearing these French cavalier's boots which belonged to the painter Howard Pyle. As I walked, I had to watch my feet because I was so unsteady. And I suddenly got the idea that we all stupidly crush things underfoot and ruin them - without thinking. Like the weed here getting crushed........



Your cats' bottoms remind me of a phrase I like to describe a sour-faced person - 'mouth like a cat's a**e'. Is it part of common parlance in your part of the country?

My question was posed pretty loosely, and I like all the answers, flippant or deep. And after all, the way in which we answer may reveal quite a lot about our personalities, which can then be compared to the photos for clues ...superficial, I know, but I refuse to take life seriously

Of old, I'm terrible for staying on topic myself, so I don't mind in the least if people wander off for as long as they like. Human experience can't be boxed into thread titles, and thought evolves in unpredictable ways. It's great to watch that happening

Absolutely love your art too Will be passing by your way soliciting for advice in a couple of years when I work out how this camera and CS5 actually work

Seri

[Seriche]

Eh?

Actually, I don't mean that.

My God, you pose some challenges. You really cause me to examine what it is I'm doing and why I do it. I think I am metaphorically naked behind the lens (to be actually naked would be frightening to the lieges ... and the sheep), but am I really, or am I just pretending to myself that I am? I want to be.

Donald,

I'm sure you've heard most of the kilt jokes, but here's one I got from an American portrait artist:

Q: What does a Scotsman wear under his kilt?

A: On a good day? Lipstick!

Seri

[Seriche]

I think you are talking about two very different aspects of the human behavior. Being an introvert or extrovert has more to do with your social skills.

Hi John,

I'm very glad you mentioned that, and you're quite right. I left the academic road a long time ago and now make many a slip by acting spontaneously rather than thinking things through, but I'm very happy to learn by being corrected

I've never read anything about personality types, but I've just had a look and discovered that I'm an ISTP - a Mechanic; but not quite so 'quiet and reserved' People can't be forced into sixteen little boxes, of course, but it makes things more complicated. Perhaps it would be best just to ask how personality affects what we photograph and how we do it?

What you choose to photograph is only slightly related to your social skills, if you prefer to photograph people is it more candid shots or posed shots, which is dependent on you interacting with people or shooting from a distance.

That makes a lot of sense. I choose not to photograph people at all

Just because you prefer to photograph inanimate objects, still lifes, landscapes, architecture, has more to do with your visual sense rather than your social sense.

I agree with that, but apart from your social sense, I think that something about your personality must have a say in what you choose to photograph. Would you agree?

I would have to say that I was more of an introvert early in life and am more of an extrovert later in life.

I am the other way round. When I was younger I was supremely good at socialising, but for the last eleven years I've done a complete about turn. Was there any particular event that acted as a catalyst for the change in you, or was it gradual?

During my early years I concentrated more on graphic design, sketching, and painting. Now I rarely sketch at all, but usually have a camera with me at all times.

I've drawn in various media ever since I could hold a crayon, but from the moment I first had a little compact camera I started leaving my sketchbook at home. Like you, I carry a camera with me everywhere, and I've become so besotted with taking photos that I rarely draw these days. I do miss it though, and have plans to combine drawing with photography, either drawing from photos or learning what PS can do.

What subjects did you choose to depict in your artworks, and are they the same that you now take with your camera?

Seri

[Seriche]

You've got some great shots there! I love the first one.

Mark,

Have to admit that I love that first one too - it made me burst out laughing! And the fact that it's a cat has nothing to do with it. (Cats in my garden all get chased away, but cats everywhere else get love and attention). I've always gone all soft about the things most other people hate (spiders, flies, rats, snakes, earwigs, slugs etc.) but it's my male friends who are scared of spiders and go all gooey about their cats.

My favourite photo is the last one, and I don't take photos of people (unless they wander into the frame without me noticing). But that one reminds me of many good things; the first taste of a good beer (though I'm not quite sure what it is that you're drinking ), and the first musicians arriving for a seisún. I know that's not what's depicted there, but it took me back to the other place, all the same. It's a great photo of your late friend - love his smile.

I can make a lot of guesses about you from what you've posted, because I think we're all hard-wired to make quick assessments on meeting strangers (to judge whether they're friend or foe in the old hunter-gatherer days), and sometimes we're reminded of others we know better, but assumptions based on first impressions are almost always wrong . You know how to take a b****y good photo - I know that much for sure

Seri

[Seriche]

Hi Seri

I've just stumbled across this thread and I'm glad I did. I've been a bit absent from CiC lately but you have made me feel reinvigorated (I'm searching for the right word). I'll have a think about the issues you've raised and get back with some comments.

You have certainly provoked an interesting discussion.

R

Hi Raylee,

I'm really pleased to hear you say that. When I first arrived here I remember saying that I wasn't introspective and rarely asked why I ever did anything apart from the fact that it gave myself or others pleasure. But the good people here encouraged me to ask all kinds of questions about my relationship to photography, and then I wanted to know much more about how others felt too.

I'll greatly look forward to hearing what you have to say later.

I've run out of writing time now and probably won't be back again until tomorrow. Have fun

Seri

[Mick]

Vanitas



nuff said

[Shadowman]

Hi John,

I'm very glad you mentioned that, and you're quite right. I left the academic road a long time ago and now make many a slip by acting spontaneously rather than thinking things through, but I'm very happy to learn by being corrected

I've never read anything about personality types, but I've just had a look and discovered that I'm an ISTP - a Mechanic; but not quite so 'quiet and reserved' People can't be forced into sixteen little boxes, of course, but it makes things more complicated. Perhaps it would be best just to ask how personality affects what we photograph and how we do it?



That makes a lot of sense. I choose not to photograph people at all



I agree with that, but apart from your social sense, I think that something about your personality must have a say in what you choose to photograph. Would you agree?

I agree with the above statement when the subject matter involves people. A photographer that concentrates on specific body parts obviously has a bit of a fetish, such as only photographing feet or hands. However, if the same photographer has an larger rotation of images, you may never recognize their obsession with a particular limb.

I am the other way round. When I was younger I was supremely good at socialising, but for the last eleven years I've done a complete about turn. Was there any particular event that acted as a catalyst for the change in you, or was it gradual?

I think what changed my personality was realizing that I spent too much time in my home studio trying to perfect my artistic skills and not enough time actually enjoying the real world.

I've drawn in various media ever since I could hold a crayon, but from the moment I first had a little compact camera I started leaving my sketchbook at home. Like you, I carry a camera with me everywhere, and I've become so besotted with taking photos that I rarely draw these days. I do miss it though, and have plans to combine drawing with photography, either drawing from photos or learning what PS can do.

What subjects did you choose to depict in your artworks, and are they the same that you now take with your camera?

The subjects depicted in my artwork included architecture, figurative, and some landscapes. When I took up the camera those subjects sort of carried over and I have also added a lot of still life to my studies.

Seri

[Wirefox]

Well, I just typed a yawningly long response to all this...the forum timed me out and I lost the lot. So I did try but I am blowed if I am going to type that lot again....must remember to go off line when typing mind numbingly long responses.

Vanitas

Indeed...without it there can be no art

[Camellia]

Vanitas



nuff said

Just my cup of tea.

R

[Katy Noelle]

Well, I just typed a yawningly long response to all this...the forum timed me out and I lost the lot. So I did try but I am blowed if I am going to type that lot again....must remember to go off line when typing mind numbingly long responses.



Indeed...without it there can be no art

Dang! stole your own thunder? I hate it when that happens and I really love your "mind numbing responses"!!!

[Marie Hass]

...the forum timed me out and I lost the lot. So I did try but I am blowed if I am going to type that lot again....must remember to go off line when typing mind numbingly long responses.

Steve, this has happened to me so many times that now, before I submit my many times edited tome, I highlight what I wrote, ctrl C to copy. This way, I can resubmit my response after signing back in.

As is now, I sit here, mind numbingly full of things to say, but cannot get my fingers to let go. The torrent of words and emotions wanting out would overwhelm me. I feel very much like Mary, and in fact, dry eyed, cry her tears in my mind.

I am very much attracted to Mick's image, only I would have put the candlestick through one of the skull's eye sockets.

When it comes to photography, I especially love the play of light, patterns and water - but all of the world is fair game.

[ilovelucydog]

As is now, I sit here, mind numbingly full of things to say, but cannot get my fingers to let go. The torrent of words and emotions wanting out would overwhelm me. I feel very much like Mary, and in fact, dry eyed, cry her tears in my mind.

Marie, Hugs. If you feel even a little bit like I do... like I have for so long... my heart goes out to you. It's so hard, impossible I think, to express in a way that someone can truly understand the feelings... experiences... emotions. I had a bunch more typed but just erased it... too many words.

I wish I could cry my tears dry-eyed in my mind. Just today... a song comes one... tears come... I see fighter jets in the sky... tears come... I get a sweet text from my boys... tears come... can't find a bra that fits right... tears come... I take my camera out of my backpack, clean of the lens glass, put it over my shoulder and go to the front door... turn around and go back up the stairs... tears come.

All of the things seem so small when I type it or read it... but to me each of those things are huge... some of the reasons other people know and understand a bit... the rest of the reasons... I know and to me they are huge. It makes no sense other than to say I think I have gone crazy mad.

I wish I could just look through the viewfinder and see the compostion, the colors, think about the exposure and DOF and not have these emotion just getting in the way of everything.

[Benedictine]

First off let me say that this is a fantastic thread, thank you Seri for starting it. Secondly I want to say that it has surprised me that so many have begun to speak about their emotions online and how photography provides a vehicle for them to express themselves in a way that thy cannot do in any other way. I have said elsewhere how and why photography matters to me, suffice here to say that it is a spiritual thing for me, so I don't want to revisit old ground, but what I do hear from many of the messages in this thread is almost an outpouring of emotion that is akin to what I feel when I manage to capture a particular image that works for me spiritually. This is difficult to speak about and recent experience in another thread has made me begin to wonder about the difference between how I feel about one of my photographs and how others may feel about it; once we post an image it ceases to be our own and it is impossible to adequately convey in words what the image means to us and each viewer will have there own feelings about an image. So the question arrises that I think we need to address at sometime or other, why do we photograph and why do we post our images?

My answer leads me to the conclusion that if I post images I should not ask for c&c because the important thing is that the images are honest, significant and true to me because of the spiritual element, (this does not mean that I do not want to discourage folk from commenting they are more than welcome to do so) what is interesting is if folk say how the image effects them, but I would never ask that in open forum as it is something that people either do or do not feel comfortale with.

Another point is that being contemplative by nature I am reluctant to lay bare my own feelings, it is hard to peal away masks and I do not feel that open forums are the place for spiritual revelations of a very personal nature.

So where does this leave me? With a question: Have you ever thought that ypur photographs have a spiritual side/element? Please if you wuld prefer to pm please do so.

Andrew-Bede

[Benedictine]

I meant to upload a photograph to perhaps illustrate what I mean by an image being, "honest, significant and true to me because of the spiritual element". This image is all of those things to me but may be to others just a photograph of a woodland path and one that they do not particular like, on the other hand you just may get something out of it of the spiritual that I see?

Andrew-Bede

[Seriche]

Hello Andrew-Bede

I've nearly finished this morning's replies on Wordpad, but have run out of time to cut and paste to the thread as I'm off to some wooded valleys near the sea, so I'll send them in later.

I'll reply to you in more detail then, but wanted to address your point about what we're willing to reveal in an open forum. I've been on forums for many years and find it's very much a personal thing. Some people reveal nothing about themselves while others are happy to reveal all. This is usually a matter or personality combined with past experiences.

I'm the same on forums as I am in real life. I'm not deep and everything I am is there for all to see. I guard my friends' secrets, but have none of my own, so I freely share personal stuff. But I fully respect other people's rights to privacy.

My experience of talking about emotions on forums has been wholly positive. It's easy for people to imagine that they're alone in how they think and feel, and even finding just one other person who feels the same way can make things so much better. In real life so many people wear those masks which stop them being completely honest, but on a forum the relative anonymity makes it much easier to say things you might have never said to anyone else.

I don't think I said that as well as I might because I'm rushing to go out, but I think you understand what I'm saying. There's much more to be said in response to your thoughtful post, and I will do so later when I send in the other replies.

Seri

[Clactonian]

Yep, pretty grey and boring mostly, which is me to a tee.