Zen Saying

"Where there is great doubt, there will be great awakening; small doubt, small awakening, no doubt, no awakening."

Friday ClixPix

Dark Dream

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 7

Seijaku Tranquility or an energized calm (quite), stillness, solitude. This is related to the feeling you may have when in a Japanese garden. The opposite feeling to one expressed by seijaku would be noise and disturbance. How might we bring a feeling of "active calm" and stillness to ephemeral designs outside the Zen arts?

Graffiti Composite

A mix between old school type rusted and the new school of graffiti type.

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 6

Datsuzoku Freedom from habit or formula. Escape from daily routine or the ordinary. Unworldly. Transcending the conventional. This principles describes the feeling of surprise and a bit of amazement when one realizes they can have freedom from the conventional. Professor Tierney says that the Japanese garden itself, "...made with the raw materials of nature and its success in revealing the essence of natural things to us is an ultimate surprise. Many surprises await at almost every turn in a Japanese Garden."

Friday ClixPix "Convergence"

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 5

Yugen Profundity or suggestion rather than revelation. A Japanese garden, for example, can be said to be a collection of subtleties and symbolic elements. Photographers and designers can surely think of many ways to visually imply more by not showing the whole, that is, showing more by showing less.

Illusions of a Cold One!

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 4

Shizen Naturalness. Absence of pretense or artificiality, full creative intent unforced. Ironically, the spontaneous nature of the Japanese garden that the viewer perceives is not accidental. This is a reminder that design is not an accident, even when we are trying to create a natural-feeling environment. It is not a raw nature as such but one with more purpose and intention.

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 3

Shibui/Shibumi Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. Direct and simple way, without being flashy. Elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. The term is sometimes used today to describe something cool but beautifully minimalist, including technology and some consumer products. (Shibui literally means bitter tasting).

Tony Corbell's Philosophy on Photography and Lighting

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 2

Fukinsei Asymmetry or irregularity. The idea of controlling balance in a composition via irregularity and asymmetry is a central tenet of the Zen aesthetic. The enso ("Zen circle") in brush painting, for example, is often drawn as an incomplete circle, symbolizing the imperfection that is part of existence. In graphic design too asymmetrical balance is a dynamic, beautiful thing. Try looking for (or creating) beauty in balanced asymmetry. Nature itself is full of beauty and harmonious relationships that are asymmetrical yet balanced. This is a dynamic beauty that attracts and engages.

Japanese Aesthetic Principle 1

Kanso Simplicity or elimination of clutter. Things are expressed in a plain, simple, natural manner. Reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission or exclusion of the non-essential.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation

Reckon.posterous.com has an interesting web post featuring "The garden of Cosmic Speculation". The Garden of Cosmic Speculation was created by Charles Jencks and is at the Patrick House in South West Scotland. The garden was inspired by science and mathematics and is quite the visual trip for the eyes. Give it a look at Reckon.posterous.com.

Little Village Bike Vendor

It's hot how about something cold!

Friday ClixPix

Summer brings out the vendor carts in Little Village in Chicago.

Lessons From The Bamboo

This is a great video from the author of Presentation Zen. It makes a lot of sense it todays world.

Quote DuJour

"My true program is summed up in one word: life. I expect to photograph anything suggested by that word which appeals to me"
-Edward Weston

Play Each Day Like Jazz

Grant Snider has an interesting blog called INCIDENTAL COMICS. His current blog posting is a great read called "Play Each Day Like Jazz". It's a nice post and his blog is always worth a look.

Quote Du Jour

Photography to me is catching a moment which is passing, and which is true.
-Jacques-Henri Lartigue

Summer Fare

Hot time summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirty and gritty......So the lyrics go to that old rock song. The city of Chicago hit over 90 degrees today so I thought I'd add a cooling summer refreshment image.... Watermelon. Now you can here Herbie Handcock's version of the song Watermelon Man run through your head. Ahhhhhhh refreshing!