How to See Like a Photographer - Part 2
A CURIOUS THING
Learn to see more than what meets the eye through active curiosity.
In this lesson, we’ll discuss the art of active curiosity and scanning—how to guide your gaze consciously to soak in more details.
WE’RE ALL BORN CURIOUS. LET'S STAY THAT WAY.
You’ve reached the highest part of your weekend hike, gazed upon the sprawling landscape below, and marveled at the miles and miles of wilderness stretching beyond the horizon. But what about the details that make up that panoramic view? The rocks at your feet, shaped by centuries of wind and rain, or the wildflowers dotting the path, each with its own unique shade and form? Seeing more than what meets the eye starts with a conscious effort to scan, evaluate, and appreciate the nuances.
Curiosity is one of the most important things you can learn to cultivate to see the world around you in brand new ways. The moment we start looking at something and peak an interest in it, we actively engage our brain to perceive as much information about it, turning your visual perception into max capacity.
A FACT OF NATURE.
Some birds have the ability to see polarized light, enabling them to detect subtle changes in the environment. Like these birds, you too can train your vision to pick up on richer details around you.
GET OUT THERE AND START SEEING LIKE A PHOTOGRAPHER
Lesson:
The Scan and Snap Method
Just like a camera scans a scene before it focuses, you can train your eyes to scan before they ‘snap’ a picture. Read below to learn how to deepen your curiosity about a scene and how to absorb it in greater detail.
One reason a camera is so powerful in teaching you how to see is that it allows you to view the world through a viewfinder (usually called an EVF these days) that blocks out everything around you, except the part of the scene you decide to focus on. When you scan across the scene and find something that piques your curiosity, there’s nothing else there to distract you. This experience of literally seeing through the lens is something that photography on a smartphone can never fully replicate, but luckily we can do some exercises to have a try at it!
Thinking Exercise
As you hike, actively scan your surroundings. First look left to right, then up and down. Notice how much more you perceive than when you are simply walking forward. Now do the same thing, but add one more cue. Stop the moment that you find something that makes you ask a question, like “I wonder how cold that water is?,” or “Why exactly is that flower yellow?” The moment that happens, keep looking at the subject for at least one minute and take note of how much more you start noticing.
Need some assistance? Enter the HVF aka. Human View Finder.
Now do the same thing but a makeshift viewfinder: Hold out your hands, with their backs facing you. Straighten your thumbs and forefingers, then twist your one hand around so you have an L facing in the opposite direction to the one created by your left hand. Now put your two hands together, and you’ve got an instant viewfinder, aka a square you can look through. Now view the world again by using this viewfinder. Do you see a difference in the things you notice?
You are here
Navigation:
Light and Shadow
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE JOURNEY
Light has a way of either revealing things, or hiding them when it casts shadows. In photography this creates unique opportunities, as this dance between light and shadow can completely change a scene in a matter of seconds. When the clouds break and a single part of the scene suddenly lights up, or when the shadows create a beautiful frame for a subject. The possibilities are endless.
On the next clear, golden hour day, be sure to observe how light casts shadows around you. Notice how shadows can either conceal or emphasize features in the landscape. If you can, stay long enough to see how drastically shapes change as the light moves. The longer you stay in one spot, the more marked the difference will be.
PATH NAVIGATION
Color
Light and Shadow
Depth
Patterns
Contrast
Frames