In Perspective, Planet: From the archives..

[fahim mohammed]

I am in the process of cleaning up my travel archives.

Going through my travel diaries ( photographic ), something was reinforced.

I belong to the East. Middle East and further East.
.
I love countries in the West. I have travelled extensively through them. Educated there. Lived there during my student days. Lovely, beautiful places and people. Memories to be cherished.

But instinctively, I relate to the East.
I don't mean in the ethnic sense. I seem to feel what the people feel here. Instinctively.

I guess that's where my heart is. That's where I can relate. Bond.

That is where I belong. And I guess, it is what belongs to me.

If I want to continue to enjoy my photography; that is where I should look.

 

[fahim mohammed]

As the b/u process continues, I like to share some of my experiences with you.

Why?. It just might help you in one way or none.

I feel easiest at home. Surprise.

I know my culture, people, customs at home or in similar places..

Understanding a culture, being able to accomodate to it is crucial for me. Even in the air!!

Where do you feel most comfortable. With people. With the land around you. With the buildings,
With your pets. Children. Models.

That is where you will find the best opportunities to improve your photography. But remember, want better technical pictures..get an MF..but is that the most important criteria for you?

For me it is the people. That is where I am in my element for photography. The equipment really
is there to make it more ' easy ' for me to capture the instant.

The majority of work depends not on my equipment. It is within me. The results..well some good, some bad. Satisfaction factor..maximum.

Of course I take snap shots. But I hope I take them with respect, feeling and with my heart.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Here are some random shots of rice field in Bali. Not to show my technical prowess, but to illustrate three different approaches.

I was sitting at an elevated cafe ovelooking the fields. Tour cars invariably stopped here. People got out cameras at the ready. Some walked right and left. Found some good vantage point and took their photographs.

I did too! Shouldn't miss the opportunity..no?

I walked down from the cafe, sat in my car and drove around. Something interesting!
Same rice fields. A little further down. The owner has placed a religious structure to ward off
evil, and for good fortune. Done all over Bali.

I continued on foot. Same rice fields. Further down. I went in.

You might not like any of these photographs. No issue. But if I had to choose between these three
not very good photographs, I know which one I would prefer.

What about you? More importantly, why?

 

[Jerome Marot]

Of the 3 rice fields pictures, I prefer the middle one with the shrine. But of all the pictures, the one I like most is the two people having a drink. It is a bit strange, because it would attract many criticisms on composition (the verticals are tilted, the background is busy, the third man is half hidden, the two men are cropped a bit too tight and there is a distracting traffic sign coming out of the left man head). I think I simply relate more to the emotions portrayed in the picture.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Jerome, thank you for stopping by.

You make very valid observations with regard to my composition.

I have learnt, from your observations, what not to do next time around. An advantage since re-visiting is
comparatively easy.

The rice fields...well the idea was to get people to think which one they prefer and why?
There is no right or wrong answer.

Maybe there is..none on them is worth the bother!!

Once again my sincere thanks for looking in.

Regards.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Fahim,

First of all, thanks for sharing these pictures with us, I am enjoying each and every one of them.

...The rice fields...well the idea was to get people to think which one they prefer and why?
There is no right or wrong answer.

Maybe there is..none on them is worth the bother!!

They are certainly worth the bother. I can only answer from my emotional state, which makes me like the 3rd one most. Simply because there is a human being in the frame. Being a photographer who shoots a lot of landscapes, I have come to the realization that I always try to incorporate something related to humans in my pictures; even the landscape ones. Although all 3 pictures of yours have the human elements in them, only the 3rd one actually shows a person. Again, there is no science to my ramblings on this topic, just a personal opinion.

Cheers,

 

[fahim mohammed]

Cem, thanks for calling.

My friend, I know why you like what you like. You might be in Europe, but your heart is on the other side of the Istanbul Bogazi.

Take care and best regards.

 

[Sandrine Bascouert]

No matter where you are, no matter what your culture is...
there always will be the wise man, always the compassion and the empathy, and always the ones that describe the world with the evernewborn eye


example:

 

[fahim mohammed]

No matter where you are, no matter what your culture is...
there always will be the wise man, always the compassion and the empathy, and always the ones that describe the world with the evernewborn eye


Madam, you have made my meagre attempts worth it. And much much more.

Thank you and kindest regards.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Have to admit to loving that one two, does work very nicely.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Take care Ben. Thank you.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Let me address a statement that I come across quite often;

' There is nothing to photograph ' or ' I am in a photographic slump '.

It happens to all of us. being in a slump.

But to say there is nothing to photograph is nonsense.

Here are something I have shared previously with you. Surely these are common items.

Maybe what is being said is that there is nothing ' they ' find that is ' worth ' photographing. This is a little more meaningful. But then again it too is nonsense.

Is there nothing that makes you pause? Arouse some feeling in you? Around the house? Your children,
cat, dog, mouse, cockroaches..maybe your spouse?

I shall continue in the next post with this theme.

Might just tickle your fancy.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Do you get caught up in the rain?

Do you ride bicycles, cars, horses, buses, bikes, subways, trains?

Do you walk on the roads/pavements/sidewalks?

Do you walk past buildings marked for demolition? There are none where you live? Nearby?

Is there nothing that sparks your emotions, your senses, your feelings?

 

[fahim mohammed]

The final post on ' there is nothing to photograph ' myth.

Have you ever seen a candle burn? of course you have. Did you take the time to see its colors. How its flame moves with the breeze. Did it attract any moths. Was it in a crystal bowl. How was the light reflected.

What were the colors. Were there reflections in the bowl. Your reflection. The reflections of how you felt.
What was the bowl placed on. A mat. A table. A floor. Any interesting patters there..

This is how I envisioned a candle burning..

Another common objects for all those that photograph. The camera itself. How does it look. Feel. With the lens. Without the lens. Against a backdrop of cloth, light, shade of different colors. Does it make you feel to want to pick it up. Use it.

Well then, pick it up and use it. Use it to capture what you feel about the things around you.