This image was inspired by a story told by Alan Watts in his autobiography. It has a very deep and profound meaning.

“Someone has told the story of meeting, on a train, a weird gentleman who took a bag down from the rack, opened it, extracted from his pocket a cabbage on the end of a string, and began to dangle it into the bag. Consumed with curiosity, the traveler asked what was in the bag and was told that it was a mongoose. “Well, why do you carry a mongoose?” “Alas,” said the gentleman, “I am an alcoholic and suffer from delirium tremens, so I need this mongoose to keep away the snakes.” “But surely you realize that those snakes are only imaginary?” “Yes, indeed,” he answered, “but so is the mongoose.” Alan Watts: In My Own Way: An Autobiography (pp. 235-237), New World Library.

To me, Alan Watts’ allegory is a vivid illustration of the power of the mind and the ways in which we cope with our fears and anxieties, even if it means employing imaginary solutions that seem illogical to others. It also hints at the complexity of human psychology and the subjective nature of reality.

The battered old leather bag symbolizes the baggage we carry with us through life, while the cabbage on a string represents the unusual tools we use to ward off our fears. The mongoose, a symbol of both defense and delusion, in all its imaginary glory, becomes a poignant reminder that sometimes our solutions are as fantastical as the problems they aim to solve. Yet, amidst the absurdity, there’s a profound truth: our struggles are very real to us, and sometimes, individuals may cling to unconventional beliefs or behaviors as a means of finding comfort or protection, even if those beliefs are based on illusions.

What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!

1) The composition and strangeness of the image
2) The technical expertise in lighting and image quality

If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?

There is nothing I would change because I spend so much time composing and shooting my images that I would never call an image finished or release it if I could find anything that I could improve upon. So, I can honestly say there is nothing that I can think of that I would change or do differently in this image.

Daniel Remer shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.

Photographer

Daniel Remer, Israel

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Equipment and settings

Fujifilm GFX100S, Fujifilm GF110MMTSF5.6.
f14 aperture setting together with long exposure shutter speeds of between 5-20 sec.
I use a flashlight as a light source which I move around while the shutter is open. This technique is often called “light painting”.