Stay In It: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I bought a Canon EOS500D in February of 2010. Since then I ventured into photography. I went inside a different world. My fingers slowly learned to play with manual mode. My eyes began to see things in a different perspective, and wished they could take pictures.

Two years ago, I stopped. I wrapped my gear with a cloth bag and kept it inside my cabinet. It has been there ever since. For some reason, unknown to me then, I stopped. I traveled to so many places without it. I settled with a mobile phone that could take pictures. I have experienced so many things, tried so many adventures, tasted so many foods, and ventured so many roads without my camera.

I felt bad. I felt like I have let so many good photo opportunities pass by, like I failed to capture them. Until I saw this movie I have been waiting for. A scene from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty made me understood myself.

I won't give much details about the movie and I will go straight to that favorite conversation.

Start

Walter Mitty found Sean O'Connell in the Himalayas trying to photograph a rare snow animal. Sean is a photojournalist for LIFE magazine both work for. When the animal suddenly appeared before Sean's camera and their very eyes, Walter asked,

Walter Mitty: When are you going to take it?

Sean O'Connell: Sometimes I don't. If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don't like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it.

Walter Mitty: Stay in it?

Sean O'Connell: Yeah. Right there. Right here.

End.

Now I understood why I stopped taking photos for a while. For a moment, maybe it was because I didn't want to be all consumed more by how beautiful my photo will turn than actually seeing the real beauty of that picture perfect moment. Maybe, I didn't want to miss it. For some moments, I'd get frustrated that the camera could not depict the real beauty I was seeing. That's why I just let my eyes take the photo and my mind to keep it. Like what's mentioned in the movie, "beautiful things don't ask for attention."

Am sure I'll use my gear again. Maybe, I won't. For now, let me stay in it. Right there, right here.