Soul Mapping

2024

During bouts of depression and anxiety, my heart feels restless and the world appears constricted. In response, I opt for aimless walks or rides. Initially, I captured moments solely with my mobile phone, but I eventually transitioned to analog cameras and film. This shift introduced elements like possibility, chance, spontaneity, perfection, imperfection, patience and surprise—especially during the film development and printing stages. Analog photography grants me the luxury of time for reflection, discouraging haste and fostering a more tranquil and open-minded approach to the unfolding photographic possibilities.

While wandering without a specific goal or subject in mind, I endeavour to appreciate the ordinary and seemingly insignificant aspects of my surroundings. I strive to observe without preconceived expectations, allowing myself to click the camera button in tandem with the rhythm of my heart and affording ordinary scenes the chance to transform into something special through my lens. 

I meticulously record noteworthy observations in a dedicated notebook, creating a repository of moments that may or may not hold significance. This journal becomes a point of reference as I revisit my captured images, aiding in the recollection of the time, situational context and emotions associated with each shot. Occasionally, this retrospective process unveils new and profound insights about the images and in turn about myself.

For me, this entire undertaking resembles a cartography of the healing journey I am navigating. It provides alternative and distinctive avenues for self-understanding and problem resolution, offering subtle clues and fostering clearer contemplation of life's intricacies. The collection of images, akin to life's fragments, may carry inherent meanings or none at all. The perpetual quest for meaning—whether tangible, elusive or concealed—mirrors my ongoing exploration of self and understanding of life. Through this transformative process, life unfolds like a reel of film—showcasing myriad possibilities encompassing perfect and imperfect, clear and blurred and alive with possibility.