In this world that is boxed in the path of replicating the actions of the masses, to look elsewhere is generally perceived as being ‘absurd’. However, it is in this absurdity of approaching a situation from an alternate angle where lies the essence of creativity!
In the caldera of Mount Merapi, I noticed the excitement of other visitors who were all thoughtlessly aiming their camera, directly towards the volcano. To my mind, this mentality to look into the face of a subject is an example of the thoughtless ‘herd’ mentality, the ‘absurd’. I therefore looked elsewhere! Not focussing on the Merapi, I patiently searched for ancillary subjects in the environment that could be made as the foreground to lead the viewers attention towards the volcano. It is in this process of leading to the subject from the least expected viewpoint that the mind interestingly turns the secondary into the primary!
On the other hand, the ‘absurd’ act of not looking in the direction where the masses are attuned but to explore the peripheral environment that in this situation became the essence of creativity! The ‘WOW’ moments don’t necessarily lie within the subject but in the backyard, the least of all the expected places.
Baba Bullhe Shah, the famous Sufi poet says about the creative process in the realm of spirituality,
Ulti Ganga Bahayo Re Sadho, Tab Har Darshan Paye
O Seeker, make the Ganges flow backwards, and you shall gain the vision of the subject!
Mount Merapi is the most active volcano in Indonesia with a history of regular eruption since 1548. It last erupted on 25 October 2010, causing a large scale devastation for kilometers around it. It is located 28 kilometers north of Yogyakarta and thousands of people live in villages very close to the volcano.
Comments(7)
Mandeep Singh says:
October 30, 2013 at 3:59 AMCool 🙂
Mohindra Chadha says:
October 30, 2013 at 9:38 AMThank you for taking us to places which most of us will not venture to go to!!
Uncle
Karamjeet Singh says:
October 30, 2013 at 11:22 AMAs you have rightly said,a professional’s approach is through study of environment,surroundings,the encirclement and the periphery of a subject.You have sought to use different angles without losing sight of the subject.In doing so you have increased the size of the canvas with more objects of interest.Nice Work!!!
dipikasen says:
October 30, 2013 at 12:34 PMyour photographic skill has made even this deadly volcano heavenly…
I would like to know where the door downstairs leads in the ninth snap… please tell something about this pic.
Amardeep Singh says:
October 30, 2013 at 12:45 PMDipikasen, The stairs lead to a volcanic ash protection bunker. In ash expelling emergency, when people are not able to evacuate immediately, then these bunkers can provide temporary relief. These bunkers are not capable of protecting from lava expulsion. Two people tried this many years back, though the scientists at the base station advised them to retreat immediately. The heat from lava around the bunker, roasted them inside.
Ajay Tripathi says:
July 31, 2017 at 1:24 PMBeautiful photography of absurd (in your language)locations around Mount Merapi. So many scientific logic are there for volcanic eruptions, but to me it’s a mystery!
torrent says:
January 12, 2021 at 5:24 AMVery informative post. Really thank you! Keep writing. Xaviera Valentine Moya