Zen and the Magic of Photography: Learning to See and to Be through Photography [Hardcover]

What an interesting book. This concept of being in the moment and totally "there" when you are photography is something I try to teach in my classes. Teaching the technical details of digital photography, composition and related concepts in relatively easy. Inspiring photographers to be transported and completely absorbed in the moment is difficult.

The author of Zen and the Magic of Photography, Wayne Rowe, is a brave writer to attempt to convey such an ethereal concept to paper. Exploring Zen and Satori and how it is related to exceptional photography isn't easy.

Some of Rowe's primary points:
Zen: Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism, translated from the Chinese word Chán to Japanese. This word is in turn derived from the Sanskrit dhyana, which means "meditation."

Zen emphasizes experiential prajña, particularly as realized in the form of meditation, in the attainment of enlightenment. As such, it de-emphasizes theoretical knowledge in favor of direct, experiential realization through meditation and dharma practice.
The establishment of Zen is traditionally credited to be in China, the Shaolin Temple, by the South Indian Pallava prince-turned-monk Bodhidharma, who came to China to teach a "special transmission outside scriptures" which "did not stand upon words." The emergence of Zen as a distinct school of Buddhism was first documented in China in the 7th century AD. It is thought to have developed as an amalgam of various currents in Mahayana Buddhist thought.

Satori: is a Japanese Buddhist term for "enlightenment." The word literally means "understanding." "Satori" translates as a flash of sudden awareness, or individual enlightenment, and while satori is from the Zen Buddhist tradition, enlightenment can be simultaneously considered "the first step" or embarkation toward nirvana.

Satori is typically juxtaposed with a related term known as kensho, which translates as "seeing one's nature." Kensho experiences tend to be briefer glimpses, while satori is considered to be a deeper spiritual experience. Satori is an intuitive experience and has been described as being similar to awakening one day with an additional pair of arms, and only later learning how to use them.

Studium: According to Barthes, studium is an extension of our field of knowledge and cultural information. It is by studium that we take an interest in photos that refer to a classical body of cultural information . . . ." Studium, Latin. Zeal , eagerness, application, enthusiasm; devotion to, goodwill towards a person or cause; application to learning, study.

Punctum: According to Barthes, punctum "will break or punctuate the studium. Punctum has the power to expand and provoke satori."
Latin term meaning puncture or wound, used by Roland Barthes in Camera Lucida (1980), to describe how he feels touched by certain photographs, because of incidental details which trigger emotionally charged personal associations, unrelated to the meaning of photographs as culturally determined.

As a whole, the book is lovely. I was a bit put off in the beginning by British-style punctuation. The periods and commas were outside the quotation marks. In American punctuation, commas and periods are always inside the quotation marks. Rowe also used many ellipses and they were periods with no spacing and three instead of four in the body of a sentence. This may be another British-style convention. Yes, I know this is picayune, but it still bothered me at first. I mean, we are talking about Zen and awareness. Not to worry, after a couple dozen pages, I got over it.

Basic Ideas in the book:
1. Open yourself to the light, images and reality around you.
2. Open yourself to feeling. Look with your capacity to feel and you will experience and become part of the NOW, Reality, Being: the "isness" of the moment. Always follow your feelings.
3.Experiencing real moments will lead you to a culminating moment of Satori'a moment when you hear the light; the image sings; and form content, and feeling are one.
4. You will, by virtue of being in the moment, improve the quality of your art.
5. The more you actively look, the more the action will become intuitive and natural, subconscious and effortless: and that with practice, you eye will be intuitively and subconsciously drown to the light, and the light will be drawn to your eye.

I was especially pleased with the author's style of using detailed illustrations of his ideas. For instance, using a 1955 photo of James, there is an in-depth analysis of the symbolism in the photo. Truly, I've looked at this photo many times in passing and I saw nothing more than the superficial information that I acquired with a quick glance.
When I had finished reading, I saw the photo in a completely different light. In fact, it was as though I was seeing it for the very first time. The ultimate result for me is that I see more thoroughly and compose more carefully. It is an ongoing process.

Rowe discusses his concepts in relationship to many great photographers: W. Eugene Smith, Ansel Adams, Lucien Clergue, Ernest Haas, Edward Weston, Manual Alvarez Bravo, Joel Meyerowitz, Minor White and others. On the other hand, he uses many Pop Culture movie references. In the conclusion of Part II of the book he says, "Zen and the Magic of Photography has stressed the interconnections between three forms of the photographic image: the still photograph, the photo essay, and the motion picture." The author pulls together threads that many photographers may never have considered. Whether or not you agree with all or most of Rowe's conclusions, his ideas and illustrations are provocative and interesting. Admit it, isn't that what we, as artists and craftsmen need, often need the most: fresh ideas, approaches and exciting and inspiring perspectives?

What is the difference between a snapshot and a great photo? What creates that electricity, that energy, that je ne sais quoi, in which all serious photographers are trying to capture with their images?

In this diminutive volume, Wayne Rowe has defined for us what we must all strive for when making great images. That is the Zen of the moment. The here and now. Created by what is termed Sartori, or sudden enlightenment, Zen is the capturing of that most important element in the image-making process. Allowing the image to define that point in time as the quintessential moment. The moment of Zen.

To point up the exact opposite of the message of this book, take note around you during your daily rounds and see the people who are talking on the phone or texting someone with little regard as to where they are, who is there with them, or what is going on around them. We witness this phenomenon every day.

As far as timing is concerned, this little book, Zen and the Magic of Photography, is more important than ever. It's almost as if author Wayne Rowe has seized the moment at just the right time in history. It can encourage us to be made aware that we can lose ourselves in the past and future, while giving up the present.

The relationship between still photography and film is, according to our author, inextricably linked. As author Rowe points out in examples of several iconic movies, scenes played by great method actors Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront", and James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause", are graphic examples of an artist being in the here and now (Zen). These great actors become part of the scene as though they were actually living the experience in real life, therefore the scene becomes greater than that which was written and directed. Our author has included several scene shots along with explanations of why the scenes work as well as they do. For you film buffs out there, you will be enchanted. For photographers these scenes will create a checklist for you to put up against your own work for comparison and study.

The idea about filming great scenes goes for iconic images created by still photographers who put themselves wholly into the scene they are photographing, looking for enlightenment (Satori). Taking note of small, sometimes mundane, details in the scene along with the larger picture can create moments of Satori, which in turn, creates an image that is greater than the sum of its parts. Our author has included several iconic images with explanations and examples of how and why these images achieve the status they deserve.

The last several pages of the book are dedicated to the author's own images in full page and half page presentations. He invites you to find the Satori and Zen in his work. Wayne Rowe is definitely an excellent photographer as his images attest. His love of photography and recognition of the Zen in this art form are what have driven him to share with us his discovery and understanding of this phenomenon he calls the Zen and the Magic of Photography.

There are many lessons to be learned from this book. The main message is to be yourself, be in the moment, and be true to what you see and especially feel about the images you take. Good advice from a great photographer is something that should never be taken lightly. Will this book help you create better images? We believe it will. Try it and see. What have you to lose?

MyMac rating: 8 out of 10

What a sumptuous journey of vision this author takes you on. This book is so informative and at the same time, it emphasizes a more sensitive and artistic approach to the art of photography. Though technique has a very important roll to play, this author gives a refreshing perspective on the art-form, also teaching us the importance of spontaneity and being in the moment when capturing an image and creating a successful composition. He emphasizes the spiritual side of the experience as well, giving the reader a holistic and succinct approach. This book is filled with exquisite photos that act as examples for his very unique and subtle approach to teaching. He guides the way to a magical world of creation, showing the reader how to see. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the art-form of photography. It offers the reader a unique perspective that is long overdue.