Listening to an arts programme on the radio today, someone suggested that the close-up was the greatest invention of the film industry. It gives the chance to be with someone in an intimate and unselfconscious way; to see their emotions, their character, the nuances and gestures that reveal their inner world. What an interesting idea. I think there is a lot of truth in it.
Often in daily life it is rude to look closely at another unless invited. Being human beings – highly social animals as we are – we are highly attuned to the messages of others. Nevertheless we are expected to give space and only snatch glances rather than enter into the inner world of those around us. The close-up through the camera – whether movie or a still – allows us to look deeper, examine, explore, without holding back
Soul pictures
It struck me that the images I have been writing about recently, this technique appearing in my new course, Mystery to Mastery, is also a kind of close-up. They are close-ups of aspects of ourselves, aspects present within us. These apsects may or may not show themselves much to the world, but in any case they are difficult for us to see directly since we are usually looking out at others rather than inwards toward ourselves.
Something of Dominic
The person in the picture below is not me, but nevertheless it offers a close-up of an aspect of me. I found him in a magazine and he became the centre of the first image I created for myself on my first Mystery to Mastery course. Creating it seemed a little random: several magazine images to choose from, this was the one I plumped for – and then adding a background. The thing is though the more I looked at him the more he felt familiar – like looking at a photo of myself from my mid-teens.
I am the one who is sensitive and understands
And the forest background – when making the picture it seemed the right choice though I did not see any particular significance in it. Later in meditation I remembered the many times as child I spent up trees, by myself with the wind and the leaves, happy in my own nature. How fitting that background was! I could say that this image is a close-up of a part of me.
