Finding Stillness in the Centre of Chaos – Alex Bond

 I recently heard this phrase, or something very similar, used to describe meditation. When I heard this, it immediately brought to mind parallels, and even similarities, when trying to create a pleasing photographic composition.

Reducing the view of the world into a neatly bordered rectangle or square window is not normal. The confines of these borders purposely direct our vision to a highly selective view, removing any distracting peripheral vision.

Hidden Code

There are formal rules to composition. Thankfully, I discovered these much later, giving me time to learn what I liked, and what I liked in other photographers and artists’ work. I have written before Slow Photography Movement & View Camera Australia that your awareness is possibly the most important creative factor.

My eyes often scan over a scene, taking in its forms, textures, colours and tones, and frequently revisiting parts to study in more detail. At first, I am not always aware that I am doing this. It starts as mostly a subconscious action. It is when my eyes are repeatedly drawn to part of the scene that I become conscious of what I am doing. It is like I am trying to unlock some hidden code.

Emotional Tension

At this stage, I’m not necessarily sure what I am looking at, just that something has “caught my eye”. My mind is trying to resolve some shape and tone, trying to find some pattern that brings “balance”.

Describing that balance is not so straightforward. It could be something like recognising the even spacing between objects, at a certain vantage point, much like seeing a pattern. Other times it is to do with visual tension, or opposing movements of subject or lines of perspective, or contrast in tones.

Then there is emotional balance. Perhaps I have just made this up, but I feel there are times when the composition of a scene on a ground glass reveals itself so fully as to elicit an emotional response from you, the photographer. That emotion can be stillness and peace, a reflection of your current state of being.

Finding Balance

Which brings me back to my title “Finding Stillness in the Centre of Chaos”. Ultimately, it is that search for psychological stillness and peace which guides my compositions. It represents a fraction of a second when everything within my ground glass screen seems to find balance, before dissolving into chaos.

My best creative tool is to wonder with an empty mind, to stumble across things. To glance, and then, to glance again. Perhaps I will disregard that thought and move on. Or perhaps I will stand transfixed, contemplating what  I am seeing, but never entirely sure. Maybe I had better get my camera out and try. There are always nice surprises on the negative that I didn’t expect. That’s a bonus.

This is why, for me, photography is more a process of self-discovery, of making some (small) sense of this world.

Scans from 4×5 Fp4plus developed in dilute Xtol.