Allin Sorenson
Contemplative Seeing
Fine Art Photography
Contemplative Seeing: Allin Sorenson
It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. —Thoreau
To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. —Pierce
T he arts, namely music and photography, have been lifelong companions. I have been exploring light with a camera and finding my voice through the music for as long as I can remember.
The arts have been my journey of discovery, to see the unseen. By slowing down, living in the moment and experiencing what is in front of me, the real world becomes more present. I see the glory of God’s creation in the smallest detail.
When I pick up my camera—looking and finding what speaks to me—I’m always surprised by what I find. The object I photograph gives back more than I ask of it. In this way, photography becomes a kind of active meditation, allowing me to focus on the process and accept what is in front of me.
Meditation through the arts has led me to contemplative seeing. Because the camera is objective, it helps me see things as they really are without the baggage of my own bias and projections of how I want them to be. It creates openness where I can see the hand of God in the world, and in others. It frees me to become open to the gift of the present.
W. Allin Sorenson, DMA, is the Dean of the School of Communication, Fine and Performing Arts, at Drury University, and an avid photographer. His photography portfolio can be viewed at: allinsorenson.myportfolio.com.