Fortysomething Welshman, seeking the meaning of life in a photograph
Hey all! I'm Keith, I'm 43, and I live in south Wales. I'm currently not working, but in the dim and distant past, I programmed computers to do boring things with money. I like cooking, playing Heroes of the Storm, and more than anything I like taking photographs.
Adlerian psychology has Will to Power. Freud had Will to Pleasure. Victor Frankl, concentration camp survivor and psychologist, had Will to Meaning. I like Frankl's idea best - the idea that what humans really crave is a meaning.
I find my meaning in photography, film photography especially. I tried music, but the guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, and the banjo ukulele resisted my feeble attempts to make them sing. A camera, however . . . well, I'm not going to claim to be Cartier-Bresson or Margaret Bourke-White, but getting that negative from the developing tank and seeing images that I created appear as if by magic can be almost euphoric.
The Elizabeth Tower and Houses of Parliament, London. Pentax ME Super, Rollei Retro 400s
I have digital cameras, too - a Fuji X100 and a Nikon D90 - but as functional and convenient as they are, they don't have the magic I feel when I use my 40+ (and counting) film cameras. It helps that I can pick up what was a £3000 camera back in the day for a couple of hundred - or what was a £500 camera for £5 from a charity shop or car boot sale.
Looking out of a window in Hampton Court Palace, London. Pentax ME Super, AFGA Vista
I'm looking forward to sharing on Steemit what I've learned about film, photography, and cameras. Cheers!
Exquisite photography and writing. Glad to have you aboard :) Please keep expressing yourself and sharing your talents. I also write about meaning in terms of evolutionary psychology and storytelling mechanism of the human mind. Keep up with the quality here because we need more people like you!
Why, thank you!
Hello! I'm intrigued by your desire to find a meaning of life in a photograph. I mean, how is that possible? You can express yourself through art, sure. But meaning of life is on a whole new level. As I understood, you enjoy the process of creating even more than photography itself.
Looking forward for your lessons!
Hey! I'm guilty of a little hyperbole - but what I really mean is that life has meaning when it has purpose. Taking photographs gives me purpose, and aspiring to one day create something beautiful gives me a goal.
I do very much recommend Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, by the way.
Thank you for recommendation! I remember, I started reading it... But the language was harder than I expected, so it was difficult to grasp.
Hi Keith, welcome to Steemit. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work in the photography tag!
Stunning photos! Welcome to Steemit.
Cheers!
Great that you still use film. I'm about your age and keep thinking about going back to film but... No excuses. :)
Do it! :D