Nature Photography Photo Workshop

2.2. LEARNING TO SEE

You may have been told that you have a "good eye." Though it may be true, you might be surprised at how much better you can learn to see. Starting out, you won't see things as well as you will with some years of practice — an experienced photographer sees more things and sees those things more clearly.

This doesn't necessarily mean seeing more clearly in terms of sharpness and focus, but in acknowledgment and comprehension. Learning to see is training your brain, not your eyes. And even photographers with decades of experience can still discover new ways of seeing. Learning to see is an ongoing, never-ending process.

Of course, some improvement in seeing can occur naturally as you work on your photography. But with conscious effort, the process of developing your visual skills can be controlled and accelerated to provide better results in less time.

One of the biggest challenges for all nature photographers is seeing what's really there. When you observe a scene, your brain fills in the gaps automatically, using your past experiences. So you might see things that aren't there, or not see something that is there. You should practice seeing without applying your own personal bias and without assuming anything. Start seeing your environment in terms of light and shadow, lines and shapes, color and texture.

You need to be able to look at the big picture and recognize the creative potential it holds and then find the individual elements within the scene that will ...