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Q&A With the Authors

We would love to hear from you. Please post your questions about contemplative photography, comments about the book, or other observations about contemplative mind and life. We will do our best to respond to whatever you post. (Please keep in mind that we are running as fast as we can, and may not get to this as soon we would like.)

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Recent Questions and Answers:

Contemplative music/photogrpahy

Submitted by thewholeheart
Question: 

Hi- I am currently reading Contemplative Photography and it is resonating with me deeply. I have just begun my journey into the color assignment and am seeing the world of color in a fresh way. I can't thank you enough for approaching photography from the viewpoint of 'perception' as opposed to 'conception'. Forgive me if I have oversimplified your vision but that is how I am interpreting it. I am also a musician and have begun to transfer these concepts to music. Music can be quite complicated so I think it's harder be fresh and still write compelling music. Any thoughts about how contemplative music writing could occur? Dave, Virginia

Answer: 

I was visiting a friend who is a composer recently, and we talked about this very topic. To greatly simplify what he said, the way he teaches musical composition is that you write the first couple of measures, and then wait for the music to come to you. The music arises from space in much the same way that flashes of perception arise from space. That way you don't get lost in the complexity of concept.

— Andy

web site

Submitted by PezzVT
Question: 

Having just finished reading your excellent book, which I bought following your talk in Manchester, VT, last week, I thought that I would forward a correction to you. Under "Further Resources" you mention the web site: "www.seeingfresh.com". Google does not recognize that site but does recognize "seeingfresh.com" without the "www". After the talk I also re-read The Tao of Photography. I had lost my interest in photography for the past eight months or so. After Andy's talk, re-reading the Tao and then reading your book I am excited about photography again. Your photos are the type that I've enjoyed taking, that our daughter refers to as Dad's "art" photos, but that too many of my relatives and friends dismiss. Now I am encouraged and looking forward to starting on the "assignments" in your book. I don't know how to thank you other than to say that you have been moved from "neutral beings" to "friendly beings" in my daily Metta meditations. Thank you so very, very much. Bob Pezzulich

Answer: 

UPDATE: Both addresses now work. Thanks a lot for catching that Bob.

Thanks a lot for the correction Bob, as well as the kind words about the book. We will try to get the word out about the correct website address.

— Andy

The Book

“This is not your usual ‘how to be a better photographer’ book. It takes you into deeper water. It requires investigation and commitment to areas new to you. Among other things, you will think about perception in new ways. If you read this book with care, and without skepticism, it will radically expand your thinking, seeing, and photography.”

—Jay Maisel, photographer
and author of Light on America