When our eyes become lenses. our subconscious the viewfinder

[Varin]

Photography truly juxtaposes notions of human predictability with spontaneity. At first glance, the idea of snapping a picture of one’s surroundings warrants a sense of keen observation. In this context, photography serves the sole purpose of documentation. This interpretation is characterized by objective analysis. Certainly, a camera is not a sentient being and merely responds to human input. Nevertheless, as expertly employed by the work of Michael Palma, our recent guest speaker, the essence of photography embodies something much larger than two-dimensional documentation; it is a dynamic artform that equally exercises human consciousness with candid perspectives.

Before even hearing Michael speak to us, I gained a strong sense of his persona simply by viewing his work; in his photographs, I didn’t see a still moment, but rather a unique spectrum of multiple physical and emotional sensations. It was obvious that there was an intended atmosphere delivered with each photograph. Even those without moving subjects, there was a sense of fluidity.

This summer I got my first Canon camera for my birthday. I hope to one day get into guerilla filmmaking and experiment with still photography and the succession of images to create a fluid, dynamic picture. Michael has definitely inspired me to use my camera more creatively and he has helped me to realize that it’s not so much the subject of photography that matters but how that subject is conveyed on the invisible canvas.

[Author]

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