The German word Dasein has been used by Heidegger and numerous other philosophers to refer to raw human existence -- the fundamental mode of “being there.” When applied to photography, this everyday-ness is most revealed by the snapshot.
Over time and without our knowledge, the snapshot has become the most meaningful visual storyboard we have of simply “being” in the world. The snapshot is pure, direct, unmediated expression and, refreshingly, it lacks academic influence or vogue. At once a celebration of life and a reminder of our mortality, the snapshot awakens us to realize that we each have a limited number of these discrete, fleeting moments in our lives.
When aggregated, snapshots readily precipitate a simple, yet profound, matter of “being there”, that irrevocably reflects what it means to be human.
