Morii: The Desire to Capture a Fleeting Moment

Have you ever wondered what the word 'snapshot' means? The Cambridge Dictionary lists it as a noun that can mean "an informal photograph" or just "a photograph". As photographers, we understand the word without giving it a second thought. However, snapshot can also refer to a piece of information that gives an understanding of a situation at a particular time. When you think about it for longer, it suddenly seems less simple and less easy to define.

Photography is a tool, hobby, lifestyle, and so much more all rolled into one. We know too well in this community of ours that it can take different forms and can be viewed from various perspectives. One of the main reasons why we take photographs is to freeze the moment and make it readily available for us in the future. As observers, we know deep down that our memories can fail us in the future and thus we want something tangible that we can hold on to like prints or framed pictures.

The moments we wish to capture can be milestones in our lives or those dear to us, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, or perhaps a scene that captured our imagination and maybe even inspired us. Whatever it is, we recognize that it's fleeting and that a camera is a perfect tool with which to capture it.

This is where the word morii comes in. It's one of the entries in the Diary of Obscure Sorrows, a book penned by writer John Koenig. Morii refers to "the desire to capture a fleeting moment" and it relates to what we do as photographers. We almost always find ourselves clutching our cameras whenever we feel that there's a photograph waiting to be taken. We're waiting for the decisive moment, nurturing the feeling we have in our gut, and anticipating the point when we hit the shutter and let the camera do its work.

Sometimes we let the camera do our remembering for us and it can be a source of disconnect between us and the reality we're living in. When we lift our camera and line up to frame our shot, there's a barrier between us and the moment we're trying to capture.

While that's to be expected of us as photographers, sometimes, it can get in the way of really being in the moment. Focusing too much on framing, making sure the subject is in focus, and trying to get the perfect shot. It's one of the flaws of being a photographer. We can get so caught up in the motions that we sometimes forget to enjoy the moment itself.

But that's also one of the beautiful things about photography. We can choose to capture those fleeting moments while still being present. We can sneak in a snapshot, shoot from the hip and not worry too much about perfection. What matters is that we're there and we've satisfied our desire to capture the moment in front of us. It's a marker for our future selves whenever we get lost trying to navigate our own memories.

It may not be crystal clear or picture perfect but the feeling remains and it'll be like you just experienced it yesterday. You know it may be gone in a blink of an eye but at least you'll have something to remember it by.

How about you? What makes you want to capture a fleeting moment? Share your stories in the comment section below!

written by cheeo on 2023-05-01 #culture #community #morii #fleeting-moment