Today I watched my first ever implosion (former Christchurch Police Station). As the crowd grew and mulled about around us anticipation grew inside of me. Clutching my camera I wondered about whether I should take a video of the implosion or just try to take photos. A siren sounded, alerting everyone that the implosion would happen in the next minute or two. At the sound of the siren arms seemed to simultaneously erect themselves into the air all around us, posed ready for the moment of destruction. I turned my camera off and put it in my pocket. I was not going to live the moment through the lens. I was going to live it with my own eyes and other senses.
In the past I have been on holiday and at special events camera in hand staring at the image through a lens. I wonder how many memories I’ve lost because of looking through a lens instead of taking a snapshot of the image with my own eyes. Are the strength of memories effected by whether they are made when we stare at the image or whether we are looking at it through a lens? My thoughts are yes. I believe that when we stare at an image all our senses get activated, some more than others depending on the situation. The arousal of the senses helps cement the image/memory in our brain. Looking through a lens can desensitise us to what we are looking at and reduce the engagement of the senses, reducing the emotion attached to the memory. Memories are made not just based on what we see but also by what we smell, feel and hear. For a brief moment today I looked through the lens of my camera and my nervous excited emotions began to dissipate. The lens served as a distraction, diluting the moment.
Are you going to live your life through a lens or are you first going to take a long snapshot with your eye before taking a snapshot with your camera?
Today I put my camera away, taking a photo of the moment of implosion with my own eyes and engaging my senses. I know I will never forget what I saw today. In years to come I’ll be able to recall how my different senses were affected by the implosion – the sound of explosives reverberating throughout my body, sensation of nervous excitement and the smell of dust. I don’t think my senses would have been engaged to the degree they were if I had watched it through the lens of my camera.
Want to start living life through your own eyes and create memories more tangible than photos or videos? #myeyesaremylens
Photos below are care of Stuff.co.nz (my camera was deep in my pocket).
In the past I have been on holiday and at special events camera in hand staring at the image through a lens. I wonder how many memories I’ve lost because of looking through a lens instead of taking a snapshot of the image with my own eyes. Are the strength of memories effected by whether they are made when we stare at the image or whether we are looking at it through a lens? My thoughts are yes. I believe that when we stare at an image all our senses get activated, some more than others depending on the situation. The arousal of the senses helps cement the image/memory in our brain. Looking through a lens can desensitise us to what we are looking at and reduce the engagement of the senses, reducing the emotion attached to the memory. Memories are made not just based on what we see but also by what we smell, feel and hear. For a brief moment today I looked through the lens of my camera and my nervous excited emotions began to dissipate. The lens served as a distraction, diluting the moment.
Are you going to live your life through a lens or are you first going to take a long snapshot with your eye before taking a snapshot with your camera?
Today I put my camera away, taking a photo of the moment of implosion with my own eyes and engaging my senses. I know I will never forget what I saw today. In years to come I’ll be able to recall how my different senses were affected by the implosion – the sound of explosives reverberating throughout my body, sensation of nervous excitement and the smell of dust. I don’t think my senses would have been engaged to the degree they were if I had watched it through the lens of my camera.
Want to start living life through your own eyes and create memories more tangible than photos or videos? #myeyesaremylens
Photos below are care of Stuff.co.nz (my camera was deep in my pocket).