Emotional Spectrum in Pictures: Framing "L’appel du vide"

Photography isn't just about the visuals, technicalities or equipment. To be a photographer, you have to capture the unseen and the abstract. And when you do, you become more empathetic every time. Here we review Lomographs that narrate human emotions. Let's begin to understand "l'appel du vide".

You are familiar with the "starving" and "depressed" artist archetype. People call it a 'type' (which can be so demeaning), but it's a sad reality that most artists endure. Being an artist is both a gift and a curse — creativity and suffering come hand in hand most of the time. No one understands.

"L'appel du vide", or the call of the void, is a French phrase that defines the strong emotion to jump off from high places, and it is often associated with thoughts of self-sabotage. It's difficult to discuss such things in simple words, but we should all know that it begins with empathy. Those who feel "l'appel du vide" may have found poetry and beauty in an otherwise empty void, the darkness or openness of the sky, the vastness of the ocean, the never-ending mist. It's as if nature calls when everything and everyone else seem to no longer make any sense, or life itself is no longer pretty or bearable. "Homeostasis", our natural resistance to change, is often the driving force behind our dark thoughts.

It is true that humanity and the world once came out of nothingness, and it's the inevitable fact that we will revert back to what we once were. We humans have the right to question existence and purpose, and we often do so by staring off into space, allow our minds to drift into the abyss. You're still here, but your mind is elsewhere.

When the dark days are ahead of you, remember to hold the hand beside you. You are not alone.

Channel those thoughts through your camera, your paintbrush or pen.

2017-11-03 #culture #emotiona-spectrum-in-pictures #l-appe-du-vide