While writing something altogether more… meaty… I got a little side-tracked by the thought ‘I bet it’d be fun to look through some of my old photos.’
You see, I was going through some photos I took of a friend (some head shots), and I found a truly atrocious photo of myself, wearing sandals (and socks!), shorts (with hairy legs), a t-shirt, and a hairband. It was pretty bad, made worse by the fact that I was actually posing for the photo…
What can I say, I’m comfortable with my appearance (thus the photo of me in a tutu, or as a gay cowboy).
Anyway, the point was, it got me thinking about times gone by! So I started digging through some old photos, hoping to find something nice to reminisce over and to show on my blog! You may or may not know this, but you do now: our senses trigger memories. If you smell something that you’ve smelt before, it will tend to trigger the recall of a memory. The same goes with hearing and touch… and of course the most vivid of all — sight! When you pick up an old photo you are almost magically transported back to that moment. The feelings associated with that moment in time come flooding back to you — the freshness of the air perhaps, or the elation as you re-live looking down at the Grand Canyon for the first time.
That’s why we, as a race, love taking photos. We love having these little, easily-accessible keys to our vast memory. It also goes a long way to explain why some people feel slightly violated when someone has a photo of them (especially after a bad break up), or why some tribes/cults think that photographs steal your soul.
Enjoy a few choice photos (not from my travels, I’m saving those for when I can accompany them with stories!) — and poke around the collections (on the sidebar, if you’re not on my blog right now).
To start with, a picture from my second year at university. This is Sadiq. One of about… three friends that I have (I am probably overestimating by 1 or 2!) You can also see I’m not lying when I say I’m 6’5″. We just about to head out to the summer ball — University of Essex’s famous all night summer ball, where a ‘survivors photo’ is taken at 6am!
Right, with the sappy stuff out of the way, I can post some arty photos! This first one is one of the very first photos I took with my first digital camera (Canon 300D). The joy of super-shallow depth of field with an F1.4 50mm lens… I’ve always intended to take some more ‘impressionistic’ photos, I just need it to be sunny enough so that I can recreate the right conditions!
And the last one is just another at-dusk photo from near my house. I love this one because… well, it was a cold and very fresh night. I was alone, in a large field, with nothing to be heard except for the quiet snap of the shutter on my camera. Some of my favourite experiences have been alone, up the top of a mountain in Turkey, or looking out over Belgrade. Perhaps you can only find yourself in true reflective solitude? Plus, everyone loves a bit of mist!
Now back to writing something slightly more punchy.
Maddie
Feb 13, 2009
Ummm…why did you not put the pic up of you in socks and sandals? I kinda want to make fun of you for that.
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
I’m waiting for the right moment to wow the world with it!
Maddie
Feb 13, 2009
can this right moment be soon? PLEASE?!?!!!!=)
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
Maybe! But first I need to think on it… in bed!
Maddie
Feb 13, 2009
That is where all good ideas come from!
Sarcastically Bitter
Feb 13, 2009
Ohh la la! Love tuxes! Very sexy.
The third pic is so beautiful. I want to be there….right now.
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
The third photo makes me wish England had slightly more exciting weather sometimes!
Sure, the variation is nice… but it’s very rare that I can stand in a field and be smothered in fog…!
Maybe if I moved to the South West or something…
floreta
Feb 13, 2009
great photos!! and nice thoughts. yes, i know that senses trigger memories. its fascinating. was just thumbing thru a shoebox of pictures the other day and it brought me back just like that. it can be both good thing and bad or bittersweet.
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
Well, that’s the one thing memories have over real experiences — you’re not really there. The pain is never quite so strong in reflection… and it’s more bittersweet I think, as you say
Jo
Feb 13, 2009
I just realised that photographs are amazing because you can capture a moment in time. We are so lucky that we have the technology to do that.
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
I’m sure I’ve given you my treatise on why life is enjoyable… to experience (pleasureful) moments in time! That’s why I picked up the camera, to capture those moments.
K
Feb 13, 2009
Nice photo… Reminded me very much of this…
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/Epitomessence/pride_and_prejudice_matthew_macfady.jpg
(Hope that works…) Hmmm Mr Darcy…
x
sebastian
Feb 13, 2009
I can only hope to be like him one day!
K
Feb 13, 2009
I will be waiting for you in the English countryside…!
Waiting for you to emerge from the fog