After reflecting upon my wonderful photographic experience mentioned in last week’s (May 14, 2020) blog, I began trying to remember what made that morning’s photo session so memorable. If it was such a good experience, wouldn’t it make sense to try to put myself in similar situations in the future? If I could identify what was conducive to creativity at that time, it might also work in the future. As hard as I could try, I had trouble remembering much of anything about what I was doing and what was going on during those few hours. Some might tease me about my advanced years and loss of memory. I would reply (in the same spirit) I had elevated myself to another level of consciousness for that same period. Yes, I was “in the zone.”
I was not in one of St. Ansel’s ten zones of tone, but the eleventh (and secret) zone. This is the zone of “unconscious competence.” You and the camera operate as one entity. You are not aware of the creative process taking place because you are the creative process. The borders between you, the camera and your surrounding are erased and all objects merge into a single artistic event. (I was going to say artistic happening, but my outer adult overruled my inner hippie flower child. Again, you must be very old to appreciate the generational humor.)
My words are a poor representation of the experience. If you have not been in this wonderful creative state, I can’t really explain it to you. If you have been there, an explanation is not necessary.
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