Sunrise along the Gold Coast

 In Landscapes, Photography

I admit, until this day, good music moves me and makes me cry. When I was young, I was alone most of the time and music was my only companion. I slept many nights with the earbuds tucked in from dusk to dawn.

At times I wonder why I am touched, when tears well up in my eyes while listening to a breathtaking track? What makes it so beautiful that it was able to stir my emotions so much? I read somewhere in an audiophile forum, someone said don’t listen to the speakers, listen to the music. In the material world we live in, sometimes the gear becomes the more important thing and the soul of that activity is forgotten. In a quest of pushing the sound quality just a little by buying more equipment, the emphasis on the music is lost.

This is similar to photography in many ways. How much gear do we really need? How much improvement does it do to our images? What are we willing to pay for that increase in image quality that most people couldn’t even tell the difference?

What about the soul of photography? Is it the camera that makes you cry? Oh my god look at all the state of the art functions my flagship camera does! Or is it the amazing sunrise that starts your day, with your loved ones by your side. Or the moments that will never happen the same way twice? The smile, the colors, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the breeze and the sound of the birds, how important are they to you?

I am not saying that good gear doesn’t make a difference. Fantastic gear does increase the level of immersion. Good sound envelopes you, makes you feel like you are part of the music. Exceptional image quality makes you feel like you are there, connecting you to the scene. What I am saying is that there will come a point of diminishing returns. When all else fails, what remains? What is left behind that truly touches you?

If you can find out what that is, it will be the basis of what forms the heart of your art and the soul of your creations.

In a world of suffering, hopefully what you create will lessen someone’s pain just like what good music does. It might even be so good and beautiful that someone, somewhere will shed a tear.

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