The Design of Nature

How the cameras have taken over the world.

I took the picture above on a trip in Orland with my family. You can see the plethora of majestic birds soaring over the luscious waves. The beautiful sunset behind me reflects on glorious water. What you don’t see is reality.

If you saw every other angle besides the one I took, there were people everywhere setting up umbrellas, drinking, smoking, leaving trash, and overall polluting the area. What I took was what looked natural, even though we all know that this beach was probably constructed and half the sand is probably fake. This isn’t an story about pollution; it’s a story about the joys of appreciating nature.

In other places where nature is more of a beauty and a real wonder, it’s somewhat melancholy to think that a camera is our first instinct. Even though this may be hypocritical, sometimes I feel it’s better to just enjoy the moment. The weight of posting, sharing, and even capturing in a camera lens has broken the backs of too many free-spirited people and destroyed too many beautiful places in the world.

Throwing away cameras isn’t the solution, but taking pictures a lot less and enjoying the moment might be. Next time you’re in the presence of something outstanding, just be there. Stand there and feel the paralysis of beauty. Appreciate it for what it is and don’t try to capture such an object within the memory chip of a manmade tool.

Walter Mitty: When are you going to take it?

Sean O’Connell: Sometimes I don’t. If I like a moment, for me, personally, I don’t like to have the distraction of the camera. I just want to stay in it.

Walter Mitty: Stay in it?

Sean O’Connell: Yeah. Right there. Right here.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked the story, please hit that “recommend” button and subscribe! Also, the Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a great movie. If you haven’t seen it, I certainly would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Happy holidays!

~ZainKho