Listen Visually

I have been on the road for the last week, and during all the driving, I have been thinking more about some of the ways we learn photography. I talked about a lot of them in the first post I did on the subject, but as I have had time to think more, I have a few more ideas.

I think, first of all, we have to understand “how we learn”.  Do we learn best from reading books? Do we learn from going to workshops? Do we learn from watching video tutorials?  As for me, I tend to learn better by watching a video tutorial and watching how someone else worked through the process. I have friends who must have a book in front of them and need the written word to often refer back to. So, grasshoppers, understand how you learn best.

In the process of photography we all need to have an understanding of aperture and shutter speed. Yes….you do the thinking. Don’t let your camera do the thinking for you. Aperture and shutter speed are those important things that control the exposure of the subject. The creativity also can be enhanced by the creative use of shutter speed and aperture.  Then, as you learn and see how the aperture and shutter speeds control and change things in your image, you will suddenly see how light and shadow have a huge effect on the image you are trying to create. You also will slowly learn to see the light.

Example: The light and shadows at around high noon are really ugly. Nothing has good shape. In landscapes, early and late light help to shape things. Take a picture of aspens in the snow at high noon and then shoot with the aspens back-lit or side-lit by the sun. The shadows then become part of the composition and create a much more pleasant photograph. If you happen to like the light at high noon…….well, go for it; but as for me and my clan of apprentice creatives, we will shoot the light skimming across the land making beautiful shadows and textures. Listen with your eyes folks. Cue the music.

Here are some ideas that might help you in learning the photography process:

1: Go out and shoot with a friend.  Learn by watching others. They might see things in different ways and set their shots up differently than you.  Watch and learn from others.

2:  If you attend a workshop, understand what you want to learn from the workshop. Workshops mostly teach by the “shotgun approach”. You will get a lot of information that might be hard to remember after you have come down from the high energy of the workshop. Some workshops are great because they have times at the end of the workshop when everyone shows their images, and you can see what others saw and created during the workshop outings. I love a good workshop with a great teacher. They are fun, high energy, and often help you to see things more creatively. Pick wisely, and try to find comments from past attendees.

3:  Learn how your camera sees the world. This is a big thing! Each lens you put on your camera will give a different view of the subject you are shooting. Wide angles create a whole different look than a telephoto lens. Know what your lens will do for you. Practice and learn.

4:  “Photowalks”are fun to go on, and you will be able to see how others create their images and how they might previsualize the subject before taking the actual image. There might just be a lot of people who don’t have a clue about what they are doing as they blindly take photos of everything and anything in their paths.  Do not go with this group even if you are tempted by the cute guy or foxy lady that has latched on to this blind-leading-the-blind group. Trey Ratcliff does a great photowalk because he explains what he is doing and shooting during the walk. He has turned into a wise and very competent “Jedi master” of creativity. Try to follow this type of group. You should be able to find one person who really looks like they know what they are doing. Then just have fun creating images.

5:  Photo competitions..…..I personally am not a big fan of photo competitions. My main dislike is that there is no feedback of the photos presented. The photos are judged, and you have no idea why one won and why another was not liked as much. A person’s photography is very personal, so you need to be prepared to be judged. My second dislike is that you often have to pay money for each entry so they can judge you. Not a great way to entice young photographers to get better at their craft, if you ask me.

I hope these thoughts and ideas will help in the process of learning photography. Today, with the internet and social media, we have so many ways of getting information and so much information available to look at that it is often very daunting to enter the realms of “social media”. Flicker has actually turned into a very nice and inviting place to share your photos; not a lot of critical judgers there for sure. So learn to use the power of social media, be nice and not overly critical of the folks who make their thoughts available through the sharing process of blogging, and share your work with the world. It is a wonderful, and sometimes rewarding, adventure.

Narrow down how you learn best, and then use those tools to help you in your process of becoming a better photographer, one who can previsualize a shot with lens and angle before the camera is put up to your eye. When this starts happening, then you will really begin to have fun as your whole mind and body get involved in the creative process, and you will become the photographer you want to be. You just need to immerse yourself in the creative process of photography and the creative art of seeing. Both are things that should and can be learned well. “Walk in Beauty” as the Navaho would say. I would add  to capture that beauty and publish it in your life.