The National Geography Photo Exhibition was held at the Seoul Arts Center, with its last day today. I went, I saw, and I felt elated, overwhelmed, and perplexed. Though each photo was unique and narrating its own story, nothing out of the entire series of hundreds of photos seemed to have been misplaced. From all things cosmetic or grandiose to organisms and elements to its microscopic details, they all seemed to fit and form a perfect mesh. Walking along the edges of the walls felt as if the portrait of Mother Nature was revealing itself a piece of a puzzle at a time. And with the help of each photographers' skills and deeds, for 122 years since the National Geographic Society had been founded, it remains faithful to promote environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history.
I love photography because photography has the ability to innately instill what you want to say without having to say anything. It's a silent medium; there are no words involved. Yet, it speaks so much about what the photographer wants to say. It's not bounded by language, culture, or ethnicity. It's not bound by time or place. It's immediately evocative, it's powerful, and it's a treasure to keep. And for all these reasons and also for the sheer joy of nonchalantly roaming around, I believe many people subject and devote themselves to photography, including myself. Of course, taking photos was prohibited in the gallery but I took my camera along anyway because photography also acts to serve as part of my memory. The pictures above were few displays available outside of the gallery.
David Griffin is a former National Geographic photo director. In the video, he talks about the power of photography and how photography connects and unites us all. Here's the link to the original video.
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