Words and pictures

I've been trying to find something to quote in sets (albums or themed-collections) on my Flickr account. I'm hoping to find something that can explain the photo-taking process, because it's a weird, wordless thing and I'd like to know what's going on.

Walking around with a camera, I'll suddenly see something: some part of the world says, "Here! Look! This is a picture!" So I take the shot. But then I'll think, Well, how is that a picture? It's stupid! There's nothing there! (And please feel free to agree with this assessment.) Inevitably, though, if I just stick with the initial impulse, I end up liking the final result. And alternatively, when there's no impulse saying "Here!", and I take the shot anyway, it never works.

I'd like to know in words what's going on. Don't know why, just do. So I've been looking to poets, thinking they possibly use the same sort of process, except that they end up with words rather than pictures.

Haven't found an answer yet, though. So that's the end of this post.

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:)

The following poem comes close to something, though. There's a strange feeling of confidence in walking around with a camera; I usually know (without knowing why) that if I just keep looking, I'm going to find a picture. It doesn't always happen, and I end up trashing most of the pics I take (say 20 to 1 of them). But this poem reminds me of the feeling:

The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.

We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.

Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.

Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.

- Theodore Roethke