Toward the end of the movie, Walter Mitty finds Sean sitting atop a mountain peak in the Himalayas. Sean has set up his expensive professional camera on a tripod awaiting the appearance of a rare snow leopard. Walter sits alongside Sean and asks why he is there, and what he is waiting to photograph. As Sean begins to explain, the snow leopard appears. Sean immediately shifts the camera eyepiece over to allow Walter a glimpse of the beautiful creature. At the same time, Sean sits beside the camera focusing his trained photographer's eye on the animal.Walter sits quietly for a minute and then a profound conversation occurs:
Walter Mitty: "When are you going to take it?" (talking about Sean taking the photo of the snow leopard)That conversation touched my heart. You see, I'm an avid photographer, too. There's nothing that gives me more pleasure than finding the perfect subject to shoot in the perfect light. I've always dabbled in photography since childhood, but never made it my main hobby until several years ago. I love taking photographs of my family, especially my grandchildren, but even more than that, I find nature photography to be my great love.
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." (he wants Walter to understand that the moment is often more valuable than the capture on film.)
Several weeks ago, I had an experience like Sean O'Connell (the photographer in the movie who is played by Sean Penn.) I was sitting in my office working on my laptop when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I glanced up from the computer to see a beautiful deer family starting across my front yard. Immediately, I jumped up, grabbed my camera and headed toward the front door. I knew if I made the slightest sound, they'd be gone. Opening the door very slowly and quietly, I slipped out onto the front porch and stood as still as a statue. I was waiting for the perfect shot. I watched as the buck led the doe and 2 tiny, spotted fawns further up into my yard. They were enjoying some tender young plants as they gingerly stepped across the lawn. I raised my camera to capture them grouped together and then, without realizing it, I dropped my arm and held the camera by my side. I was enthralled by the sight of the beautiful deer in front of me. Yes, I would have loved to have captured those graceful, gentle animals in digital format but more importantly, I wanted to capture them in my memory. How many people get to enjoy the sight of an entire deer family within several yards of them? I doubt that many do.
I stood watching the deer for the longest time. Frozen on the front porch for fear of spooking them, I took in every frame and captured them in my mind's camera...my memory. A big truck sped by on the road in front of my house and spooked the deer. They went running helter skelter through my yard...the moment was gone. I was thankful I'd chosen not to use my Nikon that morning. It's a shame I can't share the photo with others, but it is safely tucked inside my mind for safe keeping.
I was surprised at myself for not taking the shot...it was a perfect, picture postcard kind of photograph. It would have given me great joy to hear others exclaim what a talented photographer I'd been, but I chose to forego that experience. Treasuring my God kiss, (that's what I call special experiences like the deer coming in unison to my yard for me to see that morning), I turned slowly to go back inside the house. I was smiling as I entered my office and sat down again at my laptop. Pulling up my digital journal, I began to write about the experience. Yes, I'd captured the memory in my mind, but I wanted to write about it too just in case my memory faded as days go by.
My mind wandered back to the scene in the movie where Sean Penn is sitting on the side of a snow covered mountain in the Himalayas. Ben Stiller is looking through the camera lens and seeing only a small portion of the beautiful snow leopard. Sean is taking in the entire scene and marveling at those moments that will never be able to be experienced again. "Sometimes if I like a moment....I just want to stay in it." I understood completely what he meant by that statement. A photograph of the deer would have been priceless to me. I could have enlarged it, put it on canvas, and hung it in my home for visitors to see, but I didn't. That very moment was mine and mine alone. No one else had seen what I'd seen. It felt special just knowing that I'd witnessed an entire deer family interacting together as they enjoyed their morning meal.
For me, simple gifts of nature inspire me. I can sit and watch a hummingbird for hours. I marvel at the intricate beauty and perfect design in all of God's handiwork. I do love photography, but sometimes you just have to forget the camera and use your eyes. In the blink of an eye, a special moment will disappear and I am not willing to take that risk. I want to stay in the moment and just enjoy it.
**Oh! You'll never believe this! As I was finishing up this blog post, I glanced out my window and two doe were walking diagonally across my front yard! Now if that isn't a confirmation of the need to not always use my camera, I don't know what is! I didn't even reach for it, there was no time. I saw the moment and stayed in it and I enjoyed every second of it! It's going to be a great day!
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