Merleau-Ponty’s Influence on Vernon Chalmers

Vernon Chalmers’ photography exemplifies a phenomenologically grounded approach that resonates deeply with Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy.

Peregrine Falcon : Arnhem, Milnerton

“The phenomenological world is not the bringing to explicit expression of a pre-existing being, but the laying down of being. Philosophy is not the reflection of a pre-existing truth, but, like art, the act of bringing truth into being.” ― Maurice Merleau-Ponty

"Photography is often discussed in terms of technical mastery, composition, and subject matter. Yet, for some artists, the act of photographing transcends mere documentation, becoming a medium of perception, consciousness, and existential engagement with the world. Vernon Chalmers, a contemporary South African photographer renowned for his Birds in Flight (BIF) and landscape photography, exemplifies this deeper engagement. Chalmers’ work demonstrates an intuitive, almost phenomenological understanding of his subjects, suggesting a philosophical underpinning that aligns closely with the ideas of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the French phenomenologist who revolutionized thought on perception and embodiment. This essay explores how Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy informs Chalmers’ photographic practice, emphasizing themes of embodied perception, intentionality, temporality, and the ethical dimension of witnessing.

Embodied Perception and the Photographic Gaze

Merleau-Ponty (1945/2012) famously argued that perception is not a passive reception of sensory data but an active, embodied engagement with the world. The body is not merely a vessel for experience; it is the medium through which meaning is apprehended. In this sense, the photographer’s body becomes inseparable from the act of seeing. Chalmers’ work exemplifies this notion: his images of birds in flight are not static observations but the culmination of bodily attunement to motion, rhythm, and space. To capture a bird mid-flight, Chalmers must synchronize his bodily awareness with that of his subject, anticipating movement, adjusting posture, and responding intuitively to shifts in light and wind. This mirrors Merleau-Ponty’s assertion that perception is always “from within” a lived body, not merely a visual or intellectual exercise (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012).

Chalmers’ approach also underscores the inseparability of subject and object in perception. In photographing a bird, the camera mediates a dynamic interplay between the photographer and the avian subject. Merleau-Ponty (1945/2012) emphasizes that perception is always relational; we perceive objects as part of a world we inhabit, not as isolated entities. This relational awareness is evident in Chalmers’ images, where birds are framed in contexts that reveal their interaction with air currents, landscapes, and light. The resulting photograph is not merely a frozen moment but a manifestation of lived experience—a dialogue between human and nonhuman presence.

Intentionality and the Act of Photographing

In phenomenological terms, intentionality refers to the mind’s directedness toward an object; perception is always of something, and the “aboutness” of consciousness structures experience (Sokolowski, 2000). For Chalmers, photographing is inherently intentional, guided by a sensibility attuned to aesthetic, ethical, and existential dimensions. Unlike photography driven solely by technical or journalistic aims, Chalmers’ practice demonstrates a directed engagement with being itself. Every shutter release is a conscious act of encountering—choosing, framing, and preserving moments that reveal both the subject’s vitality and the photographer’s perceptual insight.

Merleau-Ponty’s notion of intentionality extends beyond mere cognition; it is an embodied responsiveness. The photographer’s body, equipped with sensory and motor capacities, mediates intentionality. Chalmers’ BIF work, for instance, illustrates how he “reads” the flow of flight patterns, wind, and light. These choices are not premeditated in a purely intellectual sense but emerge from an attuned perceptual awareness, a capacity to respond to phenomena as they unfold. Thus, Chalmers’ intentionality is both perceptual and ethical: it embodies a recognition of the otherness and autonomy of his subjects, a key point in Merleau-Ponty’s ethical reflections on the intersubjective world (Merleau-Ponty, 1964/1968).

Reed Cormorant Flying Through The Fog : Table Bay Nature Reserve 

Temporality, Lived Experience, and the Moment

Photography has often been associated with freezing time, yet Chalmers’ work evokes temporality in a more nuanced, phenomenological sense. Merleau-Ponty (1945/2012) emphasizes that perception is inherently temporal: we experience the world as a flowing present, informed by memory and anticipation. In capturing a bird in mid-flight, Chalmers engages with this lived temporality. His images suggest not a single, isolated instant but a continuum of motion, a tension between past, present, and future. The viewer is invited to inhabit this temporality, perceiving the movement, energy, and rhythm of life rather than a static, detached snapshot.

Moreover, Chalmers’ landscapes often exploit light and atmospheric conditions to convey a sense of temporal presence. Early morning mists, golden hour hues, or the transient patterns of clouds all reflect an awareness of the ephemerality and fluidity of experience. This aligns with Merleau-Ponty’s conception of the “primacy of perception,” wherein our understanding of reality is inseparable from temporal and spatial immersion (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012). In Chalmers’ work, the photograph is less an object to possess than a trace of lived encounter, capturing the rhythm of the world as it is experienced by a perceptually engaged observer.

The Ethics of Witnessing

Chalmers’ photography also reflects an ethical dimension that resonates with Merleau-Ponty’s thought. For Merleau-Ponty (1964/1968), perception is not merely aesthetic or cognitive; it carries ethical significance because it entails recognition of the other’s presence and perspective. In the context of nature photography, this ethical dimension manifests in Chalmers’ careful observation of his subjects. Birds are depicted in ways that respect their autonomy, avoid unnecessary disturbance, and highlight their integral relationship with the environment. Similarly, landscapes are not manipulated to fit preconceived ideals; instead, they are approached with attentiveness to their inherent qualities. This ethic of witnessing embodies a phenomenological attentiveness: the photographer does not impose meaning but seeks to reveal the world as it presents itself in its own right.

The ethical implications extend to the viewer as well. Chalmers’ images encourage a reflective engagement, prompting viewers to recognize the vitality and agency of nonhuman beings. In this way, photography becomes a medium of moral imagination, fostering empathy and awareness of ecological interdependence. Such an approach resonates with Merleau-Ponty’s insistence that perception is always intersubjective and ethical: to see is to acknowledge the world as shared and alive (Merleau-Ponty, 1964/1968).

Language, Expression, and the Unspeakable

Merleau-Ponty emphasized the limitations of language in capturing lived experience. Perception often precedes conceptual articulation, leaving some aspects of reality inexpressible in words (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012). Photography, in this sense, offers a complementary mode of expression. Chalmers’ work communicates nuances of perception, motion, and presence that exceed verbal description. The curvature of a bird’s wing, the shimmer of water, or the diffuse glow of light conveys a form of understanding inaccessible through prose alone. The photograph becomes a phenomenological statement: it bears witness to the world as it is lived, mediating the ineffable through visual experience.

This intersection of perception and expression also underscores Chalmers’ reflective practice. Each image is a result of contemplation, intuition, and responsiveness to the unfolding moment. The act of photographing thus parallels Merleau-Ponty’s notion of “seeing-in,” wherein the perceiver participates in the world’s expression rather than merely representing it (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012). The photographer and subject co-exist in a shared perceptual horizon, producing an image that is as much about presence as it is about form.

Space, Horizon, and Phenomenological Framing

Merleau-Ponty’s discussion of space is central to understanding Chalmers’ photographic sensibility. Space, for Merleau-Ponty, is not an objective container but a lived phenomenon, inseparable from bodily engagement (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012). Chalmers’ landscapes often emphasize horizon lines, depth, and spatial relationships that reflect an acute awareness of embodied perception. The positioning of the camera, the choice of vantage point, and the framing of elements all suggest a phenomenological attunement: the photographer’s body navigates and resonates with space, revealing both its structure and its affective qualities.

Similarly, Chalmers’ birds in flight are framed to convey spatial dynamics, showing the interplay between subject, air, and observer. The images evoke the experience of flight as lived, emphasizing movement through three-dimensional space rather than static representation. This approach embodies Merleau-Ponty’s idea that perception is inherently spatial and relational: we inhabit space through our bodily engagement with the world, and this engagement shapes how meaning emerges.

Little Egret Flying Over The Diep River, Woodbridge Island

Reflection and the Photographic Gesture

A crucial element in Chalmers’ work is the reflective quality of the photographic gesture itself. Photography is not merely technical execution but a form of thinking with the world. Each shutter press is informed by attentiveness, judgment, and responsiveness, echoing Merleau-Ponty’s notion that perception is a form of reflection in action (Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012). The photographer becomes both participant and witness, attuning to the rhythms of nature while simultaneously translating them into visual form. This reflective practice fosters a heightened awareness of temporality, embodiment, and ethical responsibility, transforming photography into an existential dialogue with the world.

Conscious Intelligence in Authentic Photography

Conclusion

Vernon Chalmers’ photography exemplifies a phenomenologically grounded approach that resonates deeply with Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy. Through embodied perception, intentional engagement, temporal awareness, and ethical witnessing, Chalmers’ work transcends mere representation, offering a window into the lived experience of his subjects. Birds in flight, landscapes, and atmospheric conditions are not treated as objects to capture but as phenomena to engage with, inviting both the photographer and viewer into a shared horizon of perception.

Merleau-Ponty’s influence on Chalmers is evident in the careful interplay between body, perception, and world, as well as in the ethical and existential implications of witnessing. Chalmers’ photography is a meditation on presence, temporality, and relationality, reflecting a profound sensitivity to the nuances of lived experience. In this sense, his work is not only aesthetically compelling but philosophically resonant, demonstrating how phenomenology can inform and enrich artistic practice. Through the lens of Merleau-Ponty, Chalmers’ photography emerges as a form of conscious, reflective engagement with the world, inviting viewers to perceive, inhabit, and ethically relate to the natural environment in ways that transcend conventional visual representation." (Source: Chat GPT 2025)

References

Merleau-Ponty, M. (1964/1968). The visible and the invisible (A. Lingis, Trans.). Northwestern University Press.

Merleau-Ponty, M. (1945/2012). Phenomenology of perception (D. A. Landes, Trans.). Routledge.

Sokolowski, R. (2000). Introduction to phenomenology. Cambridge University Press.