Fragmented Solitude - III

Dark clouds heavy, low, 

A lonely barn stands so still, 

Silence in the gray.

***

My experience with Facebook was short-lived; it lasted only two days.

I found myself surrounded by hundreds of excellent photographs, but instead of looking inward and asking, "What do I see?" my attention was pulled outward toward, "What are other people doing?"

After seeing a relentless stream of dramatic landscapes, high-contrast birds, and perfect, minimalist trees, I didn’t feel inspired. I was overwhelmed. 

Blogging feels entirely different from Facebook. It is quiet, reflective, and even poetic. I am never in a hurry when I look at other photographers' images or read their thoughts. Instead, I feel as though I am truly experiencing the world through their lens.

If I were 80 years old looking back at my photography, what would matter more—that thousands of strangers "liked" the photos, or that the images still feel unmistakably like mine?

There is a profound difference between studying an artist and consuming a feed on Facebook.

When I open Forms of Japan by Michael Kenna, I slow down. I spend time with a single photograph. I am entering his way of seeing. I feel a genuine relationship with his work—I live with his book, and I let it quietly influence how I see.

Losing my inspiration after just two days on Facebook showed me how easily we can be drowned out by too much noise. 

Generally, life is good.