Trog, Pembrokeshire - June 2005. Copyright: T. Lee.This has to be the star picture of the month! I met Trog this summer while I was in England. A cute little critter to be sure. The other day he came to Edmonton in an envelope; that's on the front of a card from his human companions. I'm still amazed at the quality of the prints produced from digital files.
As a fellow Buddhist I've known the photographer and his wife for nigh on fifteen years. A happy association which has included a shared interest in photography. Like so many photographers of our generation we started with film, that's black and white film and latter colour. We learnt the craft of producing prints and over the years explored the limits of the medium. For many people it's quite a leap to let go of the old, embrace the new and explore digital photography. There is no good reason for me to pursue photography in this way, nor is there available time. However I still appreciate a good quality photo which catches the moment, as this one does.
Remember the saying: 'don't throw the baby out with the bath water'? There is much wisdom and knowledge retained from 'old style' photography which can usefully be carried into the digital medium. Often people think they need to reject the past in order to embrace the new. In the rhelm of religion this can happen when people come to Buddhism after having been brought up in another religion. Rejecting the past is especially true when the experience was a painful one. However, rejecting what was is not necessary in order to move forward. After all, it's not possible to stop past experience influencing the present; religion, photography, what ever. There is the letting go of the past however; now that's possible. Our practice is about embracing the present wholeheartedly, making wise choices and moving on. Not looking back in anguish or regret.
Trog had been snarfling on a beach in south west Wales. Amazing what a photograph of a sandy dog can bring up!
