People Taking Photos

The footage captured over the past 6 months was done with the intention of examining if photography was providing the means for people to examine and review life, or if it was allowing people to disengage from their surroundings. Last January, a delayed flight allowed me to spend the day in Paris. I visited Notre Dame Cathedral. Considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe, it draws visitors from around the world. I sat, confused and alone in the pews, watching people. As the organ played, streams of people poured through the aisles; a barrage of cameras pursuing the photo that would provide the essence of this church.

Maybe the sense of fulfilment from time spent in the areas of outstanding natural beauty, the company of friends and exploring ancient temples is best delivered by photography. Maybe it's only through retrospection and display of the photograph will people take more time to consider the wonder and glory of human existence. Maybe the thought that the natural world really does exist in framed splendour and that to attempt to dissect the behaviour of those travelling camera in hand, the poses staged and smiles pulled, is unhealthy cynicism on my part.

Memory is the brain's attempt at photography. Our experiences go far beyond imagery alone. Emotions are tied up in a huge sensory matrix of the sounds and smells, our thoughts and relationships at that time. Looking back on a memory, is it possible to extract emotions from that memory? If it's not possible to remember without the photo, was it worth remembering? Photography allows us to examine our behaviour and challenge the world around us. If we're being true to ourselves, we'll examine photography too.