Vietnam Diaries (Day 6): Returning to Photography
In my last 24 hours, I set myself a task of capturing and curating everything I thought represented Hanoi for me. However, this post is not about the photographs itself, but how photography makes me feel (scroll down to see a few unedited snapshots).
Over the last few months, I had not spent time photographing, much like writing. When I say photograph, I mean to observe a scene, identify a story, capture the frames and post-process to fill in the blanks. With smartphones, we create an illusion we're reproducing the process but we're not. We often jump to sharing sooner than we should - thus, giving in to the need for instant gratification.
When I click photographs, I feel still. It is like all the sounds go on mute. At that point in time, the world through the viewfinder is everything and the only thing that I see and know. There are a few things that keep me undistracted and focused like photography does.
While the pictures are static, they still say a lot more than a video could. I like still frames because they leave much to the interpretation of the viewer. Thus, while I know why the moment is special for me, it could be equally special for someone watching it for a completely different reason. A good photograph makes me feel reflective and fulfilled.
So the obvious question I am asking myself is why. Why did I not make time for doing things that I liked and that is beneficial to me?
It wasn't a lack of time. I had enough time on my hands over weekends to make it work despite the increasing familial commitments.
It wasn't a lack of inspiration. India in general and Bengaluru in particular, like Hanoi, are full of lively sights that tell a story. Yes, the sights are not easily accessible and given the city traffic, my will to travel for leisure is quite low. However, I have still avoided carrying my camera even when I am traveling to a place that could offer me this access.
In all honesty, I had just restricted the process of reflection to work and one aspect of my personal life at a time. In the last few months, it has been about physical fitness and getting increasing stronger at it. In my head, I tell myself that this is all I can make time for and anything else I do may come at its expense.
However, this is not true. With street photography, I end up walking 3-5 km, which is good cardio. If it is in a park, it is coupled with fresh air. In addition, I do take a rest day from workouts twice in a week so the photography and writing could fill into that time. I think the only reason I am able to do it on this holiday is that I am making choices - I will not see one more place or do one more thing because I have to write and photograph. The discipline is helping me rebuild the habit. I just need to figure a way to prioritize photography over watching Youtube videos, over reading the news, over quickly replying to my email and messages. It is definitely possible.
If I do make time for this, I can only imagine how the benefits will feed back into my energy reserves, to do all the other things that I love. One great photograph a month is what I will start with. And eventually, I will re-establish my love for photography.
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| A City that sees hordes of Tourists through the year, but always treats them well. |
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| A city that does not sleep on a Friday night but rests after partying hard... (The picture is of the same street at 2.00AM and 2PM on the same day)  ...unless you're setting up for the next evening's party - because street beer is as cheap as water |
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| A city where women contribute as much to work as to the family (must visit the Vietnamese Women's Museum) |
A city that has preserved its historical architecture with a patchwork restoration
A city with never-ending street food and coffee, for the locals and visitors alike
A city with a cool street shopping scene, for the ones who bargain hard.
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A city that has the cutest pig-faced toys and festive weekend scenes (intentionally avoiding the videos in the post)
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