Spontaneity vs. contrivance
How can one avoid manipulating the way light is captured in a photo? It seems very tempting to move around and try to capture the most interesting lighting—to me. How do I know when I'm being spontaneous vs. contriving something?
Hello Emily,
At the core, contemplative photography is about seeing clearly, and replicating what you see with your camera. As soon as you think about improving what you see, seeing is covered over by thought. That's how mind works.
There is intelligence that works at the pre-thought level, that is not fabricating anything, and knows things just as they are. When you trust that intelligence, your photographs will be fresh and vivid. That's what this practice brings out.
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The Book
“This is not your usual ‘how to be a better photographer’ book. It takes you into deeper water. It requires investigation and commitment to areas new to you. Among other things, you will think about perception in new ways. If you read this book with care, and without skepticism, it will radically expand your thinking, seeing, and photography.”
—Jay Maisel, photographer
and author of Light on America
Comments
Thanks for the helpful post.
KimkasJKK