Zen and the Art of Photography

" Words such as Zen or the Buddha-Way are invariably intertwined with religious meanings. Most people have no problem with the statement that Zen is not a religion. However, I think that there are many who have some trouble with the statement that the Buddha-Way is not a religion." Unknown

"The study of the art of motorcycle maintenance is really a miniature study of the art of rationality itself.  Working on a motorcycle, working well, caring, is to become a part of the process - to achieve an inner peace of mind.  The motorcycle is primarily a mental phenomenon.  The real cycle you are working on is a cycle called yourself."   Robert M Pirsig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Photography  - -  "The art or practice of taking and processing photographs"

Film  --  "A photosensitive surface"

Digital Image-- "A digital camera takes light and focuses it via the lens onto a sensor made out of silicon. It is made up of a grid of millions of tiny photosites called pixels (picture element).

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was first published in l974,  The publishers have sold over five million copies worldwide.  After  several millions copies had been sold, Robert Redford approached Pirsig asking for movie rights for the book.  A good friend advised Pirsig, "If you love your book, don't make a movie".  I would love to have seen that movie, but he is probably still happy with his decision.

The first time that I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was, of all places, at the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana in l982.  As I read the last few words of the incredible last few pages, something quite strange and wonderful happened.  I had been getting up early every morning for coffee and reading in the peaceful surroundings of the atrium of the New Orleans Hyatt Regency Hotel.  As I concluded my reading, I was filled with that "wonder of it all" rush of emotion that follows the conclusion of a good book. Only this rush was particularly powerful.  I looked to my right and to my amazement and delight there  hiding in the ferns and fauna, was a statue of the Buddha.  He had been silently watching me the entire week.   This immediately became for me, one of those moments of "arrival."  It was a moment, like several I have enjoyed over the years, when my life flowed to and from a still point.  Everything I had ever said or done up until then  made sense. I was at perfect contentment and  peace.

My wife had bought for me my first 35mm camera as a Christmas gift a few months prior to the trip.  The film camera was a Minolta XG-M.  I had read the manual through more than once, but it was still all Greek to me.  I had had the camera set on  automatic for all the photographs I had taken prior to that point.  I may as well have stayed with my Kodak Instamatic.

We were in our room on a rainy afternoon during the convention and my wife was taking a nap. I was reading the camera manual.  Since the room was dark, I was standing near the window and reading the instructions for the nth time when I read this sentence - "If you open the aperture one stop and speed up the shutter speed one stop, it is the same exposure",  That meant nothing to me.  Maybe it was the Buddha, or just my inner voice, but something said, "This is important.  Read it again."  And I read it again.  Still nothing.  But I read it again.  If ever a light of revelation had dawned on me, it dawned on me in that instant.  Distant bells rang, symphonies played, fireworks exploded,  I suddenly understood exactly what the manual was telling me. I knew why that information was so important. Any photographer with an understanding  of that sentence controls his or her  own photographic destiny.  The sun provides the light and you decide how to use it.  I have seldom had a camera set on "automatic" since then.

Robert Pirsig said, "Working on the motorcycle is to become a part of the process-- to achieve an inner peace of mind."

Photography is defined as "the art or practice of taking photographs". Any photo from any camera is photography. But I would suggest that if you ever want to find full enjoyment as a photographer, it is necessary to own a decent camera and "become a part of the process". You really only need to understand and know how to use these three things, 1. Aperture 2. Shutter speed and 3. ISO.  This is otherwise known as the triangle of exposure. And exposure is the heart of photography. Once you get a handle on these three settings, then you're well on your way. Now all that's left is to understand, "If you open the aperture one stop and speed up the shutter speed one stop, it's the same exposure." For that you'll need help from the Buddha.