The Art of Seeing - Benedict Brain

Workshop Notes: The Art of Seeing

The Art of seeing is a monthly column that I write for Digital Camera magazine...

Thank you for attending my recent The Art of Seeing workshop. Here are a few notes highlighting some of the key things I talked about along with some of the photographers and books I referenced. There is also a 24 minute video that was recorded for The Photography Show that covers some of the key points in the presentation.

Workshop Notes...

1. Write about your photography It might seem like a drag, however, take the time to keep a journal and jot down a few notes about your photographs. While the obvious facts such as location and camera settings are useful, try and write a few words about why you made the photograph. Ask yourself, what is the photograph of? What inspired you to take the photo and why have you photographed it in this way?

2. Embrace the Banal Not everything has to be ‘epic’, don’t put off your photography until you’re in the right location at the right time. You can make interesting and engaging photos anywhere at anytime with even the most seemingly banal subject matter.

2. Meaning & MetaphorsUse the language of photography to express yourself - are you the visual equivalent of a poet, a novelist or a journalist and so on? I talked about Robert Adams and his thoughts on landscape photography: “Landscape pictures can offer us, I think, three varieties – geography, autobiography, and metaphor. Geography is, if taken alone, sometimes boring, autobiography is frequently trivial, and metaphor can be dubious. But taken together … the three kinds of information strengthen each other and reinforce what we all work to keep intact – an affection for life”. Robert Adams
Geography A visual record of a place, the topography, the weather and the light etc in a descriptive way. Use your camera to describe what is unique about this place?
Autobiography, An element of personal expression. How do you feel about this place and why have chosen to photography this aspect of it?
Metaphor, What else can you say with your photograph of this place - can it be used to imply an alternative meaning or message?

4. Experiment Try out new ideas and techniques. Ask yourself ‘what would it look like if I did this?’ And then try it. Don’t be bound by the ‘norm’. For example, using on-camera flash for landscape, Intentional camera movement (ICM), multiple-exposures and so on.

5. Challenge yourself Challenge yourself and get out of your comfort zone. For example, if the idea of approaching a stranger and asking to make their portrait terrifies you - try it. The chances are you’ll be rewarded.

6. Camera Vision Learn to ‘see’ like a camera. Looking at the world through the frame of a camera’s viewfinder and rendering it in 2D is not entirely natural, so it’s useful to learn how the camera will render a scene. Try using a single focal length for a while. A year maybe? I guarantee it’ll make you a better photographer. Tools are obviously vital, and understanding how to use and control them is essential. Chose the right tools for YOU and what you want to do and learn how to use them, but don't obsess about them.

7. Create a body of work Build a body of work and think beyond the ‘single’ image. Create projects, they can be long-form and made over several months or years or quick and easy, for example documenting a walk from one side of your local town to the other.