Shooting what you see

Submitted by Charlie Byron

Question:

What I find is that I see something, but recognize (from experience) that the camera won't replicate it if I just shoot then and there—too far away, something in front of it, etc. So then I try to think through how it could.    It's true that the pictures I like best are the ones I just took—like that. But it's rare that reality presents something that right.    So the options often seem to be to either hold the sense of what struck me and let some fiddling happen, or else just let go and move on. Are there others? Or does cultivating the habit of fiddling cut against the ability to see it when it's there and ready to be taken as is?

Answer:

Great question!   

Staying with the original perceptions is a key element of the contemplative photography practice. We call that "visual discernment." It is letting go of the desire to improve anything. Instead, rest gently with the perception and let it clarify itself. Let your basic intelligence play. You don't need to do a lot of thinking about what you are seeing.  

You will eventually have to choose a framing, perhaps moving in to isolate what you see, but don't let seeing get lost in fiddling. Take your time, and let go of any excitement or agitation. Just look and see. When you are ready, shoot and keep looking. This whole process could take a few seconds or half a minute.

Shooting what you see

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