Stillness in the Frame: Stoicism Through the Lens
Meditations is a deeply personal journal written by Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor, as a guide to living with intention and calm. It’s packed with Stoic wisdom about staying present, controlling your mind, accepting what you can’t change, and acting with integrity. Though it wasn’t meant for anyone else to read, it offers timeless lessons on how to face life’s challenges with strength and clarity.
Photography teaches you to slow down. To observe without judgment. To capture a moment as it is, not as you wish it to be. That mindset? It’s pure Stoicism. And few texts embody that better than Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations—a personal journal of reminders to stay present, remain calm, and live with purpose.
One of the interesting things about Meditations is that it was never meant to be read by others. This book is the inner thoughts of the Emperor of Rome. Today, we’d be lucky to find a single city councilman as introspective as he was. Marcus Aurelius was the most powerful man in the world—and he still questioned himself daily. He didn’t posture. He didn’t gloat. He spoke plainly, held himself accountable, and reminded himself over and over to act with justice, courage, and restraint.
Imagine if we had leaders like that today—people who didn’t spin their flaws into marketing but confronted them head-on. Who led with humility and clarity instead of noise and ego. That’s what makes Meditations so powerful—it’s not just philosophy, it’s integrity on paper.
When I pick up my camera, I try to approach the world the same way: with honesty, with purpose, and without pretending to be more than I am.
Presence Over Perfection
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
When I’m out on a hike shooting, I can’t control what I can’t control—weather, wildlife, cars driving down the road. Those things are out of my hands. But what I do have control over is how I respond.
All my life, I’ve been quick to anger without much thought for how it affected my mind, my words, or my actions. Reading Meditations changed that. I realized I wasn’t just holding onto anger—I was letting it replace parts of my soul, my joy, my peace.
I’m not perfect at this stoic thing, but now I do my best to control my reactions in ways that don’t hinder my growth as a man and an artist.
And that brings me here: it doesn’t matter if things don’t go according to plan and I don’t get the perfect shot. I’m present. I’m in that moment. And at the very least, I’m getting better at taking photos in less-than-optimum conditions.
Just being there is half the battle. Putting in the reps—walking the trail, setting up the tripod, taking the shot even when you don’t feel like it—that’s where growth happens.
It’s not about chasing perfection; it’s about building discipline. Like Marcus writing his thoughts day after day—not to impress, but to sharpen his soul.
Photography isn’t just made in the golden hour. It’s made in the overcast days, the missed moments, the “this isn’t working” mornings. The good stuff comes to the ones who keep showing up.
The Art of Observation
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” – Meditations, Book 6, Section 52
Photography is all about how you see—not just what’s in front of you, but how you choose to frame it: what you include, what you leave out, what emotion you draw from a single sliver of light. That’s not objective truth. That’s perspective.
Marcus knew the way we interpret the world is shaped by our inner life. The Stoic challenge is to strip away illusion and see clearly—without bias, without ego. Photography is no different. You have to observe patiently and honestly, without forcing a narrative that isn’t there.
When I’m shooting, I try to let the world reveal itself instead of rushing in with a plan. That means looking closer. Slowing down. Trusting that the story is already happening—and my job is to notice it.
Accepting the Moment
“Time is a river, a violent current of events, glimpsed once and gone forever.” – Marcus Aurelius
Photography freezes time—but you only get a fraction of a second to decide if you’re ready for it. Sometimes the moment passes before you’re set. You miss focus. The light shifts. You had the wrong lens on. It happens.
But instead of beating yourself up, you do what a Stoic—and a seasoned photographer—does: you adapt.
Check your settings. Reframe. Adjust your expectations. Improve for the next shot.
Marcus reminds us that life flows fast and without pause. There’s no time for dwelling, only for acting with clarity in the now. When something slips through your fingers, your only job is to meet the next moment with more wisdom than the last.
That’s what progress looks like behind the lens—not perfection, but presence paired with reflection. Every missed shot is a lesson. Every photo that almost worked is a chance to refine your eye, your patience, your process.
Ego & Impermanence
“Do not waste what remains of your life in speculating about your neighbors... Be indifferent to what makes no difference.” – Marcus Aurelius
When I first started in photography, I was so scared to take a shot because I worried it wouldn’t turn out right. So why even try? I’d posture, frame, breathe—and then just walk away without pressing the shutter.
At some point, I realized I was only holding myself back. That fear was really just my ego talking. Every missed shot, every “bad” photo, was just practice for the next great one.
The other day, I set my camera on a tripod outside The Black Pearl, pointed it at a mountain vista, and took a few shots every hour. I haven’t even reviewed them yet, but it doesn’t matter if any are perfect. What mattered was that I put my ego aside and showed up.
Watching how the light shifted throughout the day, I saw that the mountain stayed still, but everything else kept changing—the clouds drifting, shadows stretching, colors warming and cooling. It hammered home the truth that nothing is permanent. The moment you try to capture slips away. The light moves, time moves, and so do we.
Marcus reminds us not to waste energy on things that don’t matter—like worrying about how our shots compare to others or fearing failure. Instead, be indifferent to what makes no difference and focus on what you can control: showing up, learning, and embracing impermanence.
Closing
“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.” – Meditations, Book 7, Section 59
Photography and Stoicism both reward you for being still enough to really see. They’re about showing up with presence, staying humble, and accepting what’s in front of you. Whether it’s Marcus Aurelius jotting down thoughts in some Roman tent or you, watching a sunrise through your camera, the point is the same: to live—and see—with intention.
