soldier on

 

“kis k’il fait” “kis k’il fait”

I found myself in quite the pickle and I honestly didn’t know what I was doing!

Sneakers. Check. White Socks. Check. Sweat Pants. Check. Tall T. Check. Brown Complexion. Check. Oh, forgot to mention. Weapon of War (Nikon D50). Check.

I played the part or at least I thought I did? (No one mentioned that my mustache would attract attention)

I began by causally stepping foot off the metro and into their territorial part of town. I have always wanted to photograph Muslims in their everyday routines of life and this was my big “shot”! I occasionally grabbed my camera out of my sack when I felt I could capture an aspect of their culture and lives I would “shot”. With every click of my camera, which I felt had transformed into a weapon of some sort, I feared for my life. No lie. Eyes would gather in my direction with the same threatened like regard and I did all I could to ignore them! “What yal looking at me?” I stumbled upon an African brother taking out the trash at some run-down auto shop and frankly the colors were splendid as they screamed to be caught in the moment! I snuck by as if a stranger peaking in on his personal life and SNAP! As soon as my camera lens shut he was already in flames and running in my direction. He took my camera in his hands and drug me along side into the prison of used tires! He brought me before his “chefs” and began to complain about my actions! They seized my weapon of arm and began to scan through all the victims I had captured earlier that morning! The African would not cease on letting me have it! Yelling at me like a mad man I was a bit scared yet I found the whole situation also a bit hilariously amusing at the same time. However, I quickly wiped my grin off my face when they stole my SD card, gave me back my camera and told me to beat it! I plead with them insisting that we could delete the photo so instead they snatched my camera back and managed to do so themselves! Completely out of ammo I walked out of that war scene with my head hanged down low! Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased to still have my life in tact but in to an extent they also took it from me! They took my prize and glory which was that one single moment I had spent all morning searching to seize! It was mine! I got to hold and admire it for 2 seconds and it before I could even let out the slightest breathe of air they stole it from me!

Pushing the limits is what art is all about. There seems to be a  typical arena that everyone seems to roam and I admit to belonging to such a clan of inexperienced artists. But creativity is found when you step off familiar grounds and enter the unknown and the forbidden. Asking permission defeats the feeling of accomplishment! I personally do not find any sort of victory in doing so.You can never find that rush of excitement when the moment has been fabricated. It has to be quick, stealth like and fulfilling! If you show up to war fearing that others could perhaps catch a glimpse of your presence you are already beaten. You must keep your head up and keep it low! Once you have captured that long sought after moment in time you can then leave the battle grounds and finally feel what it is to be a soldier at war.