The tricky thing with the Menu of Life is not so much WHAT to order, but HOW to order… The menu consists of all the things one can possibly imagine -therefore CAN have- but usually people think that someone must bring to them whatever they choose while they hold in their hands the menu of a self service establishment. Nevertheless, as a photographic investigator, it is my job (and my pleasure) to photographically investigate the efforts of my subjects to order. I always wish that they succeed, but I can’t intervene. You see, there are rules in my profession…
She was born and lived most of her life in this place called the Tower. It was a dreadful place that everybody had heard of, but very few had seen. Except for those who lived in it. A stone prison that gave to the most weak of it’s “residents” a certain kind of security and protection. But to the free humans who found themselves there it was nothing but a prison. Recently though a strong -some called it “supernatural”- lightning storm had destroyed the Tower. Everyone was free. Either they wanted to or not. My assignment was to photographically investigate the survivors, the free ones, the ones who had managed to walked away from the debris. She was among them. Some said that it was her actions that provoked the destruction of the Tower… But it wasn’t my job to find out.
“Divine ideas never conflict” wrote Florence Scovel Shinn and I have found that to be very true. So my assignment was to photographically investigate this place called “The Realm of Perfect Ideas” but, as always, first I had to find it. My only clue was: “Mona Lisa wears sunglasses” .I also knew that there would not be the slightest sign of a conflict. So I followed Mona Lisa. It was a coffee shop where people were exploring alternative endings to The game of Thrones saga with great enthusiasm -preoccupation as well. You see, 8 years of a mortal’s life are too much to be lost to a bad, another man’s story… So people begun to write theirs. I always knew that soap operas lead to enlightenment. Now I knew that the same can happen with TV shows with a much greater budget. Ah well…
My assignment was to investigate this inter-dimensional dog called Luna who appeared suddenly in the lives of some of my regular subjects. Like all inter-dimensional creatures, Luna was in possession of some serious supernatural powers that had to be kept secret for obvious reasons. Having lived for many years with two of such creatures -my faithful helpers, Juanita and Lupe, the cats- I knew what was in stake. So I did my investigation and I reported my findings -but you can never know what they were. The upside of it is that Luna was extremely photogenic and one of her non supernatural talents was that of a model. So, enjoy her shots!
I was photographically investigating the attempt of giving life to a modern version of Leonardo’s Mona Lisa painting. My subject used the “Breath of Life” method which consists in blowing a magic smoke to the object. I cannot reveal the origin of the smoke… All I can say is that it wasn’t only the painting that became alive, but also my case notebook, which started to move towards the door. That was my cue for leaving the scene…
A major arcana tarot card was my only clue. The Sun. And from that I was supposed to know who my subject was and why I was investigating her. But I was used to all that and may I say, a master photographic investigator of the sort. In my work I was relying totally on intuition and it had never failed me. So I found her, as I always do and that investigation didn’t even include an interdimensional travel, so I was grateful…
While I was photographically investigating her, Gabrielle was singing “Should I stay” and although she didn’t hear it, it seamed like it was the soundtrack of this moment of her life. So I knew instantly what this investigation was all about. Because, as you know, they usually don’t tell me…
Space 1999 has always been my favourite science fiction TV show. I was 7 years old when it was aired but I remember vividly all the episodes that I watched. Not long ago, I managed to find both series of this amazing TV show and I frequently watch a random episode for inspiration, as every self respecting photographic investigator would do. The one called “Collision course” is about a planet that appearances (and science logic) say that it will crush upon Moon base Alpha (that is stranded in space along with Earth’s moon) unless destroyed with nuclear bombs. But Commander Koening is reached by a being of this planet (in a form of a vision) that explains to him his part in the plot of events: that he is to let the planet touch the Moon base without fear so that it’s inhabitants can reach a higher, purely spiritual level of existence. Koening is struck and convinced by the power and sincerity of this being but finds resistance by the people of the Moon base Alpha who think that he is delusional, possibly from radiation sickness. In the end the cosmic bodies touch and the other planer disappears. The episode finish with Commander Koening saying: “Who could know that a planet in collision course would not collide but simply… touch?”
I was photographically investigating “The game of life” that was taking place in a dimension that I am not allowed to reveal. A game, the participants of which were unaware of. That made it very interesting for a photographic investigator such as I, but, most of the time, very frustrating for the participants. It was a game of boomerangs, in which the thoughts, deeds and thoughts sooner of later returned back to their creators. Each one had the chance to create their own world, a world made exclusively from crystallised ideas, feelings and words. Of course their creators didn’t know that and, in their majority, they believed that everything that they were experiencing was the result of some unknown and uncontrollable external factors or powers. Of course the game had rules and laws which were unshakable and worked both ways -for better or for worst. 80% of the participants applied them unconsciously for worst. The laws were written and explained by various “helpers”, but the participants of the game had their attention turned elsewhere and didn’t seem to want to understand them. I don’t know who created the game or why or even how the participants were caught in it. All I know is that being an investigator, a watcher, one felt un urge to enter the game -driven by the confidence and certainty of it’s present state of control and understanding of the game, a control and understanding that they would have to abandon though as soon as they entered the game, which was one of the cruel tricks of it: forgetfulness. Many photographic investigators had been trapped in it with no chance of escaping. Have I ever been one of them? Was I even one of them? These thoughts made me wanna leave this dimension sooner than planned, and that is why my investigation was kinda short.
A photographic investigator sooner or later realises that she creates her world by her inner conversations and that it is only what it is done now that it counts. Now is the accepted time. Even though it’s effects may not be visible until tomorrow. The events and relationships of her life are her word become visible. She changes the dream willingly, changing herself. So she changes the world.
A photographic investigator knows -through observation- that there is a divine selection for every desire of every subject (because a photographic investigator sees everyone as her subjects). And if the subject knows how to claim it, it comes under grace and in a perfect way. It is indeed a great moment when a photographic investigator is present while this divine law is in action.
I arrived there by bus in the evening, just before sunset. The scenic route side by side with the setting sun was magical and that made the prospect of next day’s visit to the Maya ruins of Campeche even more wondrous… It wasn’t clear to me whether I would meet my subject in the mayan pyramids or in the hotel itself. The view was beautiful though and the smell of the sea compelled me to stay in the terrace. I found my subject when I went to the ground floor bar to ask for some coffee…
Electra was one of my subjects. She moved to another country in seek of a better life. I photographically investigated her again in Athens, 2 years after her departure and she was more miserable than before, even though her economic conditions were very much improved. I remembered then a documentary I saw an idle summer night in my beach house, about the chilean community in Greece and the greek community in Chile. There was a woman -that at that moment lived in Greece- who was describing her family’s life journey and she was always saying: “Then the crisis came and we moved to another country”. But that happened 3 or 4 times… This came to my mind when I was confronted with my friend’s misery and I said to her: “Problems go with the people, not with the places”. It was revealed as an indisputable truth to me. I didn’t know that Socrates had said the same thing though… I read it this morning. So I quote: “Why do you wonder that globe-trotting does not help you, seeing that you always take yourself with you? The reason which set you wandering is ever at your heels.’ What pleasure is there in seeing new lands? Or in surveying cities and spots of interest? All your bustle is useless. Do you ask why such flight does not help you? It is because you flee along with yourself. You must lay aside the burdens of the mind; until you do this, no place will satisfy you.”
She came from the future just to observe. Her mission had the code name “Incognito”, but how could she be incognito? My mission was to photographically investigate her and I never fail. Perhaps a more suitable name for her mission would be… “Beware of the Photographic Investigator”. But how could it be? Nobody in the future knew I existed. I know, I have checked it out myself.
The cats of a photographic investigator (or should I say, “her faithful helpers”?) always like to participate in her indoor explorations in the year of the coronavirus. And contribute, in their own way, to the adoration of a new deity - the toilet paper!
When Tandoori met Biryani it was a not very cold Sunday, a few days before the new year and the streets of Athens were not as busy as expected. Everything was new and for that reason it was a fine day. Indian food is only eaten in fine days (by photographic investigators, anyway…).
Venice is full of spirits. A photographic investigator who is experienced in psychic photography knows where to look for them and more importantly, how to look… This will not be revealed in this blog post. The only thing I can disclose is that they like to wander in rainy evenings in Rialto, especially when “acqua alta” is expected…
Born investigators do not look for subjects. Born visionaries don’t ask for visions. William Blake could see into the spiritual world, but how would a photographic investigator possibly grasp what he saw? Waking up this smallest day, this longest night, it was William Blake’s “assistance” that I seeked. But alas! It was a bleak poem that I found, “To the winter” it’s called. I guess it’s appropriate for today, the longest night of the world…
