2-8-11

In class today I was almost provoke right out of my seat when Krzys mentioned the word "lens." He for a brief moment mentioned how you look at the poem through different lens. It sort of clicked something inside of me. I feel any filmmaker or photographer can have a special understanding from this. When using prime lens you have a certain shot in mind. There is not as much option for zoom, you simply focus in on something. I think this focusing is similar to the concept of close reading. But with each shot and when you switch lens you can see something different. You could perhaps see more surface with a wide lens. I think when first looking at a poem it is smart to utilize a wide lens or even a variable lens, one that allows zooming in and out, mentality. Though as you delve into understanding the connections and intricacies of language and punctuation of the poem, it is helpful to continue the process with the mindset and discipline of using prime lenses with longer focal lengths. Nothing is hidden when filming with different lens, just as nothing is hidden in the poem. It just can help to see something better or with better perspective when using different lenses. When filming a flower, just because the camera does not see the stem for a moment, does not mean that it went away or that is it not important. The flower cannot stand without the stem. Every aspect of the flower makes up the flower. As Krzys said, you can look at every detail of a flower and note every detail. You can note its environment and its place in its environment. Ultimately though, you need to smell it. The roots of a flower are hidden underground simply as a result of its nature. Poetry has elements that inherently seem hidden at first, but it just means switching to a prime lens and rearranging your position to see a little bit better.

- Kelly Johnson