You know – I rarely travel without a camera. I’m a document guy – I see so much and have an urge to photograph a moment - a situation and store in camera.
Today, I stumbled on Free Tibet rally at Dundas Square. This universal protest has been going on since the fifties – western scholars have claimed Tibet was independent from China from 1912 -1950 – the Chinese claim ownership. My connection? The movie ‘Lost Horizon’ a 1933 novel by James Hilton - the fictional Shangri-La high in the mountains of Tibet. Oh, how I wanted to flee to Tibet and escape Southern Indiana to this mysterious utopian land far from the chemical laced damp earth I walked most days as a kid.
I’m thinking I’ll never get there or Vietnam another land I still want to explore during the unreal glorious coming of spring.
Today, I stumbled on Free Tibet rally at Dundas Square. This universal protest has been going on since the fifties – western scholars have claimed Tibet was independent from China from 1912 -1950 – the Chinese claim ownership. My connection? The movie ‘Lost Horizon’ a 1933 novel by James Hilton - the fictional Shangri-La high in the mountains of Tibet. Oh, how I wanted to flee to Tibet and escape Southern Indiana to this mysterious utopian land far from the chemical laced damp earth I walked most days as a kid.
I’m thinking I’ll never get there or Vietnam another land I still want to explore during the unreal glorious coming of spring.
You never know how people will react when you slither about with camera around neck. Today, there were so many Asians with big body cameras I ascertained the situation was most friendly and that it was.
As I wander around I’m attracted to the splendor of color. We are such a colorless country. India, China and most of the Far East are bathed in radiant vivid color right till death. We meet death in drab silver plated caskets and morbid ceremony. The opposite side of the world you dissolve in bright colorful flames. All around is a searing spectrum of tones and relatives adorn in rainbow drenched pigment.
That`s just part of the equation -the clothes, the beads, the lightness, the smiles and the kindness. Everyone just flat accepted my presence and encouraged me to get closer.
Twice recently I`ve left the house and failed to check the camera battery and after a few dozen shots camera dies. What an ass! So be it. I got something more from this that shooting could satisfy – to hang for awhile with some truly kind and humble people. This is a highly spiritual – loving people. Winter has mostly reduced us to believe it`s hard lessons are truth something many can`t recover from but a trip outdoors among people with a greater connection to the divine broke the last bit of ice lining the inner wall of my heart. I`m blessed!
No comments:
Post a Comment