WEBVTT

00:00:01.880 --> 00:00:05.949
What is the most beautiful place
you have ever been?

00:00:06.139 --> 00:00:09.529
And, when you were there,
did you take a picture of it?

NOTE Paragraph

00:00:09.722 --> 00:00:11.976
Here's a place that tops that list for me.

00:00:11.976 --> 00:00:14.549
This is Mesa Arch

00:00:14.549 --> 00:00:16.488
in Canyonlands National Park
in Utah at sunrise.

00:00:16.488 --> 00:00:17.986
It's the traditional homeland

00:00:17.986 --> 00:00:21.341
of the Pueblo, Ute,
Paiute and Navajo people,

00:00:21.341 --> 00:00:22.667
and when you are there,

00:00:22.667 --> 00:00:24.846
it is absolutely stunning.

00:00:24.846 --> 00:00:27.830
The sunrise illuminates
the bottom of the arch orange,

00:00:27.830 --> 00:00:31.736
and then behind it you see the buttes
and clouds and cliffs.

00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:34.552
But, what you might now see
from my photo here

00:00:34.552 --> 00:00:37.796
is the 30 people behind me
who are also taking photos,

00:00:37.796 --> 00:00:40.846
and these are just the committed people,
the sunrise people, right?

00:00:40.846 --> 00:00:42.716
So when you think about that,

00:00:42.716 --> 00:00:47.162
there must be hundreds if not thousands
of photos of Mesa Arch taken every week.

NOTE Paragraph

00:00:48.249 --> 00:00:51.472
I've been sharing my photography
on Instagram for years,

00:00:51.472 --> 00:00:55.743
and it started to become
really interesting and funny even

00:00:55.743 --> 00:00:59.766
just how many similar photos
of the same places

00:00:59.766 --> 00:01:01.350
I've started to see online.

00:01:01.350 --> 00:01:03.399
And I was participating in it.

NOTE Paragraph

00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:05.265
So this made me wonder,

00:01:05.265 --> 00:01:08.738
why are we taking photos
in the first place?

00:01:08.738 --> 00:01:11.631
Sometimes I visit a popular landmark --

00:01:11.631 --> 00:01:14.302
this one is Horseshoe Bend in Arizona --

00:01:14.302 --> 00:01:18.133
and I see all the people
with their phones and cameras out

00:01:18.133 --> 00:01:19.313
who snap a photo

00:01:19.313 --> 00:01:21.704
just to turn and get back in the car,
walk back to the trailhead.

00:01:21.704 --> 00:01:23.807
And sometimes it seems like

00:01:23.807 --> 00:01:25.696
we are missing the point

00:01:25.696 --> 00:01:29.902
of going to this place
to experience it for ourselves

00:01:29.902 --> 00:01:32.442
or to see it with our own eyes.

00:01:33.089 --> 00:01:34.864
When I'm behind the camera,

00:01:34.864 --> 00:01:37.211
I notice the smallest details:

00:01:37.211 --> 00:01:39.942
the layers of light in the mountains

00:01:39.942 --> 00:01:42.458
as the light fades at the end of the day;

00:01:42.458 --> 00:01:45.977
the shapes that nature so expertly makes,

00:01:45.977 --> 00:01:48.784
abstract and yet completely perfect.

NOTE Paragraph

00:01:49.138 --> 00:01:52.936
I could go on and on here musing
about the intricacies of this planet

00:01:52.936 --> 00:01:55.727
and the way that it makes me feel.

00:01:55.727 --> 00:01:58.610
Photographing the beauty
and complexity of this world

00:01:58.610 --> 00:02:02.498
for me is like making a portrait
of someone that I love,

00:02:02.498 --> 00:02:03.998
and when I make a photograph,

00:02:03.998 --> 00:02:07.087
I have to think about
what I want it to say.

00:02:07.087 --> 00:02:10.125
I have to ask myself
what I want it to feel like.

00:02:10.125 --> 00:02:12.145
When you're communicating
through an image,

00:02:12.145 --> 00:02:14.111
every creative choice matters.

00:02:14.111 --> 00:02:16.258
Sometimes, I plan to share my images,

00:02:16.258 --> 00:02:18.679
and other times I take them
just for myself.

00:02:18.679 --> 00:02:21.699
I currently host a video series
on the future of the outdoors,

00:02:21.699 --> 00:02:24.526
and for one of the episodes
we wanted to explore

00:02:24.526 --> 00:02:28.062
the relationship between
photography and outdoor spaces.

00:02:28.224 --> 00:02:31.649
I learned about the research
of Kristin Diehl and her colleagues at USC

00:02:31.649 --> 00:02:34.625
who studied photo-taking's
effect on enjoyment levels.

00:02:34.910 --> 00:02:37.455
They found that, when we were
behind the camera,

00:02:37.455 --> 00:02:38.957
when we're the ones taking the picture,

00:02:38.957 --> 00:02:41.301
we enjoy our experiences more, not less.

00:02:41.815 --> 00:02:43.379
But it wasn't true all the time.

00:02:43.379 --> 00:02:46.687
If the person took the photo
solely with the intention of sharing it,

00:02:47.187 --> 00:02:48.909
there was no increase in enjoyment,

00:02:48.909 --> 00:02:51.264
because they didn't do it for themselves.

NOTE Paragraph

00:02:51.264 --> 00:02:53.705
So this points to
an important distinction:

00:02:53.705 --> 00:02:56.543
photography can enhance your experience

00:02:56.543 --> 00:02:58.301
if it's done intentionally.

00:02:58.301 --> 00:03:00.993
The intention piece is what matters.

00:03:00.993 --> 00:03:04.045
As a photographer, I've really
had to check myself on this.

00:03:04.045 --> 00:03:06.609
When does it help me
to have my camera out?

00:03:06.609 --> 00:03:08.901
And when do I just need to put it away?

00:03:08.901 --> 00:03:13.410
On a trip to Alaska, I had the opportunity
to photograph Alaskan brown bears.

00:03:13.410 --> 00:03:15.915
I was on a boat with
four other photographers,

00:03:15.915 --> 00:03:18.479
and we were all having our minds blown

00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:19.710
at the same time

00:03:19.710 --> 00:03:22.219
in such close proximity to these animals.

00:03:22.219 --> 00:03:24.321
And it's an emotional experience.

00:03:24.321 --> 00:03:27.814
Being eye to eye with these bears
gave me a feeling of connection

00:03:27.814 --> 00:03:29.377
that transcends words,

00:03:29.377 --> 00:03:33.191
and having my camera with me
in this case enhanced that.

00:03:33.929 --> 00:03:37.592
We were all creating independently,
but also all completely in the moment,

00:03:37.592 --> 00:03:39.690
both with nature and with each other.

00:03:39.690 --> 00:03:42.700
I so clearly remember capturing
the water droplets

00:03:42.700 --> 00:03:44.607
and the motion as the bears swam

00:03:44.607 --> 00:03:46.978
and the cute cubs following their mothers.

00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:50.672
That group and I will have
that experience together

00:03:50.672 --> 00:03:53.689
and these images to look back on
time and time again,

00:03:53.856 --> 00:03:57.657
and photography is what enabled us
to share this in the first place.

NOTE Paragraph

00:03:58.518 --> 00:04:01.280
Other times, I choose
to leave the camera behind,

00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:04.861
and I think that choice ultimately
improves both my experience

00:04:04.861 --> 00:04:06.855
and my work.

00:04:06.855 --> 00:04:09.776
I recently flew to
the South Pacific island of Tonga

00:04:09.776 --> 00:04:12.062
to swim with humpback whales.

00:04:12.062 --> 00:04:14.372
I noticed myself feeling pressure

00:04:14.372 --> 00:04:17.234
and a certain obligation
to take the camera with me,

00:04:17.234 --> 00:04:20.440
when sometimes I just wanted
the pure experience itself.

00:04:20.663 --> 00:04:23.112
And the experience is seriously amazing.

00:04:23.112 --> 00:04:24.896
You're talking about being in the water

00:04:24.896 --> 00:04:27.613
with a curious baby animal
the size of a station wagon

00:04:27.613 --> 00:04:31.391
while you are surrounded by particles
that float around you like glitter

00:04:31.391 --> 00:04:34.270
and the mom swims gracefully below you.

00:04:34.494 --> 00:04:36.943
There were times, obviously,
when I did take my camera with me,

00:04:36.943 --> 00:04:40.152
and those were really amazing
to capture as well,

00:04:40.152 --> 00:04:42.244
but the set-up is pretty big.

00:04:42.244 --> 00:04:45.093
It's like this big box.
This is what it looks like.

00:04:45.093 --> 00:04:47.395
And so this is between me and the whales,

00:04:47.395 --> 00:04:50.794
and at times that feels like a block
between you and reality.

NOTE Paragraph

00:04:50.794 --> 00:04:53.366
Is there a difference
when it's just your phone?

00:04:53.366 --> 00:04:56.140
Last year I went to Ularu
in central Australia,

00:04:56.140 --> 00:04:59.786
which is this massive rock
that towers over the desert.

00:04:59.786 --> 00:05:02.545
This is sacred land to Anangu,

00:05:02.545 --> 00:05:04.810
who are the Aboriginal
people from this area

00:05:04.810 --> 00:05:07.646
and the traditional owners of the land.

00:05:07.646 --> 00:05:11.864
There are particular spots in Ularu
that you cannot photograph professionally

00:05:12.117 --> 00:05:14.564
because they are culturally sensitive,

00:05:14.564 --> 00:05:17.635
equivalent to sacred scripture to Anangu.

00:05:17.825 --> 00:05:22.263
So because of this, most of my photographs
are from either far away, like this one,

00:05:22.263 --> 00:05:24.801
or from specific angles in the park.

00:05:25.152 --> 00:05:29.602
You could say that some of the most
interesting and beautiful visuals in Ularu

00:05:29.602 --> 00:05:32.123
are located in these sensitive areas,

00:05:32.282 --> 00:05:37.535
but the request not to photograph them
is an explicit and direct invitation

00:05:37.535 --> 00:05:41.866
to learn more about the land,
its importance, and its people.

00:05:41.866 --> 00:05:44.149
Isn't that what we should be doing anyway?

00:05:44.149 --> 00:05:47.087
So my visit to Ularu
quickly became not about me

00:05:47.087 --> 00:05:50.938
but about connecting with the place.

00:05:51.190 --> 00:05:52.955
Ironically and unsurprisingly,

00:05:52.955 --> 00:05:55.250
I have found that presence and connection

00:05:55.250 --> 00:05:58.477
also happens to make
for more compelling images.

NOTE Paragraph

00:05:58.477 --> 00:06:00.862
We can probably all point to social media

00:06:00.862 --> 00:06:03.847
as being a good place to share the images
from our travels and from our lives.

00:06:03.847 --> 00:06:08.228
We not only share pieces
of the world that we have seen,

00:06:08.228 --> 00:06:10.916
but also parts of our
day-to-day experiences,

00:06:10.916 --> 00:06:14.531
and if we're applying intentionality
to the photos we take,

00:06:14.531 --> 00:06:18.111
then hopefully we're sharing
intentionally too.

00:06:18.507 --> 00:06:23.387
For me, allowing people to see pieces
of my story and my perspective online

00:06:23.387 --> 00:06:26.422
has reminded me that I'm not alone.

00:06:26.422 --> 00:06:28.656
It's helped me build support and community

00:06:28.656 --> 00:06:31.078
to do the same for others.

NOTE Paragraph

00:06:31.078 --> 00:06:32.519
Let me be clear:

00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:36.041
I am not trying to discourage you
from taking photos.

00:06:36.041 --> 00:06:40.688
Even if thousands of people
have been to whatever exact location

00:06:40.688 --> 00:06:42.607
and taken whatever exact photo,

00:06:42.607 --> 00:06:45.037
I encourage you to get out and create too.

00:06:45.037 --> 00:06:47.551
The world needs every
voice and perspective,

00:06:47.551 --> 00:06:49.054
and yours is included.

00:06:49.886 --> 00:06:53.540
But what I'm trying to show you
is that the phone or camera

00:06:53.540 --> 00:06:55.655
doesn't have to stay out all the time.

00:06:55.655 --> 00:06:57.814
What I'm trying to encourage you to do

00:06:57.814 --> 00:06:59.934
is to put it away, just for a moment,

00:06:59.934 --> 00:07:01.654
a moment for you.

NOTE Paragraph

00:07:01.829 --> 00:07:03.619
So let's go back to Mesa Arch,

00:07:03.619 --> 00:07:06.153
the way that the rock glows orange

00:07:06.153 --> 00:07:09.530
and the lovely layers of blue
in the background.

00:07:09.530 --> 00:07:12.907
What if the next time
you were somewhere amazing,

00:07:12.907 --> 00:07:15.760
you couldn't bring your camera or phone?

00:07:15.760 --> 00:07:18.721
What if you were not allowed
to take any pictures at all?

00:07:18.721 --> 00:07:21.802
Would it feel like a limitation?

00:07:21.802 --> 00:07:24.811
Or, would it feel like a relief?

NOTE Paragraph

00:07:24.811 --> 00:07:26.475
So what can we do?

00:07:26.475 --> 00:07:30.314
Well, the next time you feel the impulse
to take out your camera or phone,

00:07:30.314 --> 00:07:34.151
or, in my case, once you realize
you have already pulled it out,

00:07:34.151 --> 00:07:37.939
first, stop, pause,

00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:40.035
take a deep breath,

00:07:40.035 --> 00:07:42.492
look around. What do you notice?

00:07:42.492 --> 00:07:46.552
Are you experiencing
this moment with someone else?

00:07:47.382 --> 00:07:50.537
Remember that this moment only comes once.

00:07:50.537 --> 00:07:53.467
Photography can be part
of a beautiful experience.

00:07:53.573 --> 00:07:56.410
Just don't let it be a block
between you and reality.

00:07:56.671 --> 00:07:58.172
Be intentional,

00:07:58.172 --> 00:08:02.280
and don't lose a beautiful,
irreplaceable memory

00:08:02.280 --> 00:08:04.884
because you were too focused
on getting the shot.

NOTE Paragraph

00:08:04.884 --> 00:08:06.784
Thank you.

NOTE Paragraph

00:08:06.784 --> 00:08:09.607
(Applause)