4. Writing with Light
Burning wood is one of my favorite aromas, and that’s what I’m smelling now. Is it coming from the meeting room? I walk into the room and look from left to right. I’m surprised to see Moroccan rugs, throw pillows and a crackling fire burning in the corner of the room. This hotel meeting room doesn’t look like any of the meeting rooms I’ve been in before — it’s way too warm and inviting. I plop down on one of the pillows in front of the fire and look at my new Moroccan slippers. The little beads on the top are glistening in the firelight. I smile to myself as someone hands me a cup of tea. This is all so comfy-cozy… I get out my writing journal and wait for our group’s photography class with Massimo Bassano, the National Geographic photography expert we’re traveling with. At some point each day, Massimo has given us tips to improve our photography, but this evening he’s showing us some of his work to illustrate the importance of lighting. “Photography is like writing with light,” I heard him tell someone today 
while we were at Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular location for filming movies. Although I didn’t see any remnants from Gladiator, Alexander or Jewel of the Nile while I was there, I saw the historic site bathed in light during the beautiful golden hour of sunset. I ran into and photographed a handsome young man who was very outgoing, just like Massimo. Massimo’s enthusiasm for his craft is infectious. I appreciate that, especially now, since I’m blogging for the first time. I need to draw on his vivacity to stay confident about my own work for the blog, as well as for the book I’m writing about my pilgrimage through India two years ago. He enters the room, and I listen as he talks about his love of photography and the twelve weeks he spent living with Carthusian monks. From his experience he created his book, “The Color of Silence,” which documents their brotherhood. I take notes on his experience and listen as he passionately talks about merging photography and writing. This presentation resonates more deeply than tips about the correct lighting for an image. In a way, Massimo is a light on my path to discovering my craft — not only with my lens, but also with my words…