Discovering Reality Through the Camera

This article presents refl ections on the role photography plays in the perception of reality, showing how the image that catches a certain place at a certain moment in time enables the observer to perceive details that might have escaped his notice had he been there himself at that place and time. It goes on to speak in great detail about creative photography, focusing especially on the role of light and ways of capturing images that are meaningful and representative of reality, which can reveal even its hidden structures. Particular attention is paid to light by day and by night, to landscapes and townscapes, to water and glass, all important factors in our perception of the world around us. Lastly, the importance of the framing, lenses and point of view from which a shot is taken is considered and some attention is paid to how varying points of view can catch and communicate not only the various aspects of what is represented but also the emotions that can be felt as one experiences certain situations and special moments in time.