Nice questions. Looking forward to see the response!
Beautiful image as well. Liked the leaf overlaying the black "border" as though overseeing and owning the content inside the frame. Is it also asking the questions?

Wonderful questions, Sir......!!!
Wonderful image...!


Is there any possibility of any content without intent...?
Is photographer not a part of creation of this marvelous and mysterious Existence where she/ he is in search of 'Oneness, Non-Duality, Wholism' in Nature?
Does Choice-less Awareness not lead us towards the state of non-dual seeing?
Is frame not full of creative-emptiness?

‘Life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived‘ – Osho

Regards...

Image is very interesting.
Excited hear from others about the questions you have put.

Thought provoking image and questions.
What we see is what we perceive?
What we visualize is what we see?

Thanks for sharing this image and provoking others to think/ask

Raj, I was away for a week, just catching up with all the backlog work. Interesting questions and image. Will soon add my views..

thanks all
@Ganesh sure look forward to thoughts

'Thought provoking shot' OR is this shot provoking thoughts ??

On serious note, For me its mix of both, especially for last 3 questions. Nature is artist - many of it can go unnoticed unless some one shows it. So Seeing is very important. And we fill or remove on need basis.

Raj, here's my take on the questions:

Which is important intent or content ?

Important intent makes the content important. No intent no content worth showing.

In nature photography is nature the artist or the photographer ?

In nature photography, artist nature is the photographer. Only camera handling is delegated to us.


Is photography art of choosing or art of seeing ?

Art of seeing is nothing but art of choosing. When we see something, choice is already made

Do we fill objects in our frame or remove emptiness ?

We fill objects in our frame to remove emptiness. Frame is empty to begin with.

Raj, I love the image. Very unique - the 'subject' which lies outside the frame and superimposed on a photograph!! I think the empty frame with trace of the leaves (may be over exposed by a stop) with only leaf "on the frame" would have further added in my view.

Now to your questions, I think life is often lived somewhere between yes and no. The generalising this to either end of it is over simplification and unrealistic. That said, here are my thoughts and further questions.

Which is important intent or content ?

I think intent without the content is introspection.

In nature photography is nature the artist or the photographer ?

What is art? Who is an artist? Does it need to be only one of them?

We have two different frames of references here. Unfortunately we are limited by our knowledge about the meaning of nature itself. I am referring to the word nature as synonym for "Srishti"/"Universe". What is it? How it came to being? Where is it going? I have no doubt that nature is the great artist. Life is one its magnificent work of art. Coming to photographers (or artists who paint), we do a very different kinds of 'art' (like for example 'cubism'/abstract art/poetry/music etc which can't be compared to nature's work of art. The comparing these two different works of art is silly at best.


Is photography art of choosing the seeing ?

May be choosing is the seeing?!

Do we fill objects in our frame or remove emptiness ?

What if it (art) lies beyond such physical characterisations? Is tear drop a sign of happiness or sorrow?

Again, loved your image and questions, Raj. Thanks for sharing this.

Thanks friends for taking the time . The picture and the thoughts came up in an artist workshop that I attended. All of them abstract painters ( excepting me ) . So their thoughts were around how to bring honesty to what you want to say , how to you want to fill the canvas and give meaning to time and space. Their take was if there is honesty, clarity in intent, control of medium a single line would communicate that to the viewer
Taking on from there I see myself in two modes of photography.
One, seeing mode. Where I take a camera walk around to see if anything interesting comes up and then make a picture. There seeing and objects are important.
Two, Choosing mode. I have a very strong intent that I want to bring to my canvass. I work in a specific way to realize and portray that honestly in the frame. Object is incidental . Creating a meaning in the space is the importance.
I am not saying I have figured it all out. Still thinking. Just sharing so I can get some inputs. Welcome any more thoughts