How putting down the camera made me a better photographer
Right from the start, this might sound counterintuitive. After all, it's through practice and action that our skills as a photographer progress, and that's true. However, taking time away from the camera or putting it down, I've noticed something that wasn't there before, and that has helped improve how I photograph.
Self-reflection is one thing, but taking the time to stop, look, see, and feel is another. I used to take my camera with me everywhere I went, and I still do... kind of. Before I contemplate an idea for a photograph or get inspired to take a photo and reach for my camera, I now sometimes just stop and see the moment for what it is. I'm not talking about missing the moment or 'The Decisive Moment,' which seems to be such a trendy thing to say in photography. I'm talking about being in the moment. I believe that you are either in the moment or capturing the moment. One is experiencing, the other is documenting. I have to thank meditation for opening me up to this mindset. Meditation is something you don't need to practice to understand that being and doing are different things.
As a result, I've started putting the camera down, noticing what's going on around me, instead of jumping at the opportunity to capture it. I just look at whatever is happening and live in that moment. Some people call this slow photography, the act of taking your time, setting up a shot for a landscape and waiting. Sitting on a street corner and looking around and just noticing the people walking by. Being in the moment opens you up to your senses and the environment around you. That is all we have, this moment. We can remember the past and contemplate the future, but all we really have is this moment right now. That is what is real, that is what matters.
It's only by putting the camera down that I have realized this. I was the photographer who always strived to capture the moment instead of being present in it. But now I have changed, maybe it's with practice, maybe it's with wisdom or age, maybe it's because I'm an introvert. 'Okay, yes, yes, you're a Zen photographer, but how does this better my photography?' Photography is a tool, I use it to express what I have to say and share. The camera is not who I am. Opening myself to the now, the present, the moment, I have started to notice more subtle things happening around me as a result. If I choose to take a photo, I can. I have improved my awareness, heightened my sensitivity to the things that are happening around me. I no longer go out with an intent or idea in my mind. The result is that I no longer have a narrow view of what I need or want to capture. I see and experience my surroundings more. Opening up my creativity, possibilities, and opportunities to approach and capture photographs that are outside the limitations of my conscious thought. Putting the camera down lets the subconscious and senses come to the forefront of your mind.
Putting down the camera for periods of time or during events is a must. We can't always be photographing throughout our lives because you'll end up documenting it instead of living it. Putting down the camera made me a better photographer because I realized there is more to life than just photographing it, and that is living it.
Other articles
Featured posts
The Zen Photographer - Leica.com
The ways of Zen photography - PetaPixel.com
How to shoot minimalist photos - PetaPixel.com
Internet addiction is killing your photography - DigitalRev.com
Have I finally found the perfect camera? - DIYPhotography.net
Are you a photographer or, just a camera operator - PetaPixel.com
Why I got rid of my photography gear - PetaPixel.com
Finding style and voice in photography - Leica.com
Use deliberate practice to find your photographic style - PetaPixel.com
Why I only use one lens - PetaPixel.com
Your camera already has the most important feature - PetaPixel.com
Is Instagram dying? - DIYPhotography.net