Downtown on a playground

A little girl saw a white man

With a camera

And she ran to him.

Take my pitcher!

Take my pitcher!

Take my pitcher!

She shouted.

When photographing in other cultures

The pointing of my camera

Caused children to turn away

And adults to turn their backs.

What’s the difference I wonder?

Was it the camera?

The man being tall and white?

Or how their image might be used?

What I know for sure,

The photograph of the playground girl

Makes my heart grin

Every time I encounter her smile.

 

Dear Follower:

Thank you for following! As has happened several times, in order to keep the material (and me) fresh I’m adding another dimension to Contemplative Photography. From the outset, my purpose was to share and generate appreciation for the subject matter. That will continue, but now the focus will be less on “things” and more on ideas and insights that contribute to meaning and enhanced living. The  pacing and format will be the same as when I started—one photograph each week, usually B&W, with contemplations kept as short as possible. The categories will include:

• • • • • Anthropology
        • Art
        • Climate
        • Consciousness
        • Cosmology
        • Ecology
        • Evolutionary Process
        • Media (Function, influence, potential)
        • Nature (Appreciation)
        • Personal Growth
        • Philosophy (Eastern and Western)
        • Photography (As medium for personal growth)
        • Social Development
        • Spirituality (Not religion)
        • Transformation
        • Whole Systems Thinking

As always, I invite you to share your thoughts on both the content and photographs. 

---

I welcome your comments at <smithdl@fuse.net>

My portfolio site: DavidLSmithPhotography.com

My photo books: <www.blurb.com/search/site_search> 

(Enter “David L. Smith” and “Bookstore” in “Search)