Originally posted by JinDesu So technically it's not a photo style, but it is a photographic mindset?
Well, technically, it only uses photography as a tool to get to a mindset, but it's one you can pick up and put a lens on! The reason there are galleries with lots of graphic images is because that attracts people who want something tangible to connect to, and to see that they are "doing it right."
Originally posted by JinDesu Right, so it's basically similar to people saying they are in the zone, or photographic zen, etc?
Yep. The whole formalization of calling it "Miksang" is an attempt to explain what you just summarized, but for non-photographers or non-zen-people, particularly within the framework of Tibetan Buddhism. I'm not a Buddhist, nor do I love the overly flowery language used to "explain" Miksang, but I've been in-the-zone with other endeavors before (man, I used to get so in the zone at work, retouching advertising images, that I had to be reminded to eat lunch!) and I love it.
I'm guessing that the "Miksang photos" that I posted above look boring, or pointless, or "not following photographic compositional rules" to many people, and I'm almost certain they won't be picked up and made into posters, or win a pultizer, or whatnot. For me, that's fine! I don't shoot them to post on Flickr looking for pats on the back, or expect that someone will say "oh, what great SEEING you've done there. Very Miksang!" (Seriously, I've seen that comment on a Miksang Flickr group.) I like them, and some are hanging in my house, and my family doesn't seem fazed by them, so it's all good.
Really,
the book about it is quite good. Some obtuse language, but still approachable and appreciable. Totally helps with anxiety and casual photography skills, too!