The current state of the world can easily be described as challenging. How can art and photography fit into this broader context of current affairs?
It’s not out of the ordinary to say that the last two years haven’t exactly been the easiest. A once-in-a-lifetime pandemic comes with challenges. And that’s the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
No matter your views on any topic, everyone seems to be on edge over everything. You’re never right. Or perhaps the next person can’t seem to ever get it right.
It comes as no surprise that Imran Nuri brings the perfect advice: go for a walk. Of course, this can be a literal walk or a figurative one. The point is to step back, take a breath, and really get a better scope of the situation. Clear your head.
Reminding myself to go on walks has not only been good for my mental and physical health; it’s also a chance for me to go out and experiment. Take more photos.
If you consider John Szarkowski's idea of photography as the mirror or the window, then a walk might be the perfect way to improve your photography. Szarkowski proposed that a photograph is like a mirror, a reflection of the photographer’s world view; or a photograph is like a window, a look at the photographer’s worldview. Respectively, an idealized world is mirrored, or a realist world is seen through the window. I guess no matter your approach, being cognizant of your choices is important to the images you make. Are you trying to reflect on what your worldview is and making the world better that way, or are you trying to showcase the best or worst of what is out there anyway? Or maybe a walk is just a walk?
