Photography and The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty

Montréal by Heri, Canon EOS-M, 22m @ f2.2

One of my favorite movies is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by Ben Stiller.

The movie is about life. It is also about photography.

Why do you take pictures? Many ask me the question.

The question is hard to answer. Like asking “Why do you breathe?”. Fortunately, this movie brings some answers

To see Beauty

In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Sean O’Connel, the cinematic photographer, doesn’t take the shot of the elusive Snow Leopard. “Beautiful things don’t ask for attention”, he says. He wants to experience the moment, instead of busying the mind with the task. For me, photography is indeed a mode of noticing beauty, whether you take the shot or not.

So you go out. You spend hours looking. You chase light and shadows. You find a fleeting beauty. A raindrop clings to a leaf. You obsess over it. Was it a fragment of your imagination? Or can you share it with others? How? So the quest continues.

To Sell Stories

Every photo tells a story. Sean’s photos aren’t jus timages. The missing “Negative 25,” represents the quintessence of life. It is integral to the story. It symbolizes how photography can communicate emotions and truths. Walter’s journey to get the negative becomes a story in itself. Likewise, “Crossing St-Viateur St” is my Montréal. It is not what a tourist sees. It’s not what a local sees. It’s what I experienced.

To explore

Photography is a gateway for adventure, from secluded parts of Québec to Montréal’s underground hacking groups or hip-hop scene. In the movie, Sean’s lifestyle represents the spirit of exploration. He goes to remote and dangerous locations to capture the world’s beauty. This inspires Walter to leave his mundane office life and step into the unknown.

That’s why I spend too much on cameras. That’s why I spend time framing a shot. Some people buy fast cars. Others watch football. And yes, if I ever meet a snow leopard, I’ll take the damn photo.

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