a softer, kinder world

I’m short-sighted, so without my glasses blur is my natural way of seeing. When I first got glasses many years ago, and the world suddenly came into sharp focus, I got very excited. Everything looked so different to me, sharp and clean. But once I got over the novelty of it all, I realised that I’d come to like the softness in my natural sight; the world seemed a kinder, gentler place without all those hard edges.

I do like being able to see clearly when I want to, but sometimes I can feel overwhelmed by the amount of detail and visual clutter that we’re bombarded with most of the time. Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved any photographic technique that leads to blurring, whether it’s done in camera or afterwards. I love the way it smears the colours like paint and turns the most banal of subjects into something mysterious and fascinating, and the way it takes away detail and lets you concentrate on what’s essential - the colour or the light or the shapes.

My short-sightedness isn't so bad that it leads to the depth of blur in these two photos, but I like the way they evoke a mood through only supplying an impression.  It makes me ask questions, like who is the mysterious figure with the red umbrella in ~ania's♥ photo, and where is she going on such a snowy day?

gilly of the camera points both ways

girl with an umbrella, by ~ania♥