Our perception of photographs is very similar to the way we perceive people. When we meet someone for the first time, the first thing we notice is their appearance. It’s not about being superficial, but the visual component is the most immediate, it’s what we perceive first and what helps us form an initial impression of the person. In reality, it’s a very limited kind of knowledge, and although it can be useful at first, it can also lead to partial or biased judgments. If we truly want to get to know someone, we have to invest time and interest, go deeper, and make an effort to discover what lies beyond the surface.
The same goes for photographs. The first thing we evaluate is their aesthetic quality, and as a first filter, that’s perfectly fine, it helps us discard images that don’t spark our interest. But photographs, like people, have a deeper layer that isn’t immediately visible, and it’s something we can only appreciate by truly getting to know them.
The photo I’m sharing today is of a girl gently touching a horse, something very simple. But my experience behind this image goes much further. One Saturday I was exploring the Asturian mountains, and after many winding roads, ups and downs, I came across a small meadow surrounded by forest, where a couple of horses were grazing freely. I got out of the car to take a photo, but one of the horses didn’t seem very friendly. So I decided to sit on a bench and wait for it to get used to my presence. After a while, I noticed a girl walking down a path. I was surprised that she had no trouble passing by the horses. Calmly, she sat on some logs and started looking at her phone. We both sat in silence for quite some time, each of us quietly taking in the landscape and enjoying the peacefulness of the place. I took a few photos, nothing remarkable, and got up, ready to leave. That’s when the girl called out to me. I didn’t know what she wanted. She asked if she could see the photos. I told her I was using a film camera, so unfortunately I couldn’t show them to her right away, but if she gave me an email address, I’d be happy to send them once I had them developed. She was delighted with the idea, and I took a couple more photos of her with the horses. We chatted for a while, she told me her story with the horses, what she was doing there, what her life was like in the Asturian mountains, and so on. It was truly pleasant. Some time later, I developed the photos and sent them to her, but I never heard back. I don’t know if she ever received them. In any case, I’m grateful for her kindness and, above all, for the time we shared. For me, the best photographs are always those with a good story behind them.
