3 Daily Excerises - Train Your Mind To See Photos Everywhere

Summary

This video script encourages aspiring photographers to train their 'photographic eye' even without a camera. It suggests practicing by observing everyday scenes and envisioning potential photos, building a visual library of ideas. The script also emphasizes the importance of being aware and anticipating the 'decisive moment' in photography, inspired by Henry Cartier-Bresson's work. Having a plan and jotting down creative ideas can help photographers make the most of their shooting time, turning mundane situations into opportunities for capturing unique images.

Takeaways

• 📷 **Practicing Without a Camera**: You can improve your photography skills by mentally composing shots in everyday situations, even without a camera.
• 🕒 **Day-to-Day Constraints**: Time pressures often limit photography practice, but you can train your 'photographic eye' during routine activities.
• 👀 **Developing the Photographic Eye**: Regularly observing your surroundings with a view to capturing them can help develop your ability to see potential photographs.
• 🏡 **Finding Inspiration at Home**: Look closer to home for photographic subjects; the mundane can be made interesting with a different vision.
• 🌟 **The Decisive Moment**: Learn to anticipate and capture fleeting moments that elevate a scene from ordinary to extraordinary.
• 🚶‍♂️ **Observing the Ebb and Flow**: Practice reading and anticipating the actions and movements in your environment to capture dynamic scenes.
• 📚 **Learning from Masters**: Study the works of photography masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson to understand the concept of 'the decisive moment'.
• 📝 **Keeping a Visual Library**: Jot down or sketch ideas for photographs whenever they come to you to build a pool of inspiration.
• 📈 **Planning Ahead**: Having a plan or a set of ideas before you take photographs can help you make better use of your time and creativity.
• 🎯 **Focus and Direction**: Having a clear focus and direction for your photography can lead to more impactful and purposeful images.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by individuals who want to practice photography but have limited time?

The main challenge is the pressures of day-to-day life that often prevent them from practicing photography regularly, leading to a lack of development of their photographic vision due to infrequent and rushed practice sessions.

How can one practice their photographic skills without having a camera at hand?

By taking mental snapshots of everyday scenes and objects, considering how they could be photographed in an interesting way, thus training the 'photographic eye' without needing a camera.

What is the significance of the phrase 'the decisive moment' in photography?

The phrase 'the decisive moment' refers to capturing a fleeting moment that elevates an image from being just pretty to a great photograph, a concept popularized by photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

How can one develop the ability to anticipate and capture the decisive moment in photography?

By practicing being aware and reading the scene unfolding in front of them during everyday activities, such as during a commute or while having a coffee, to learn the patterns and anticipate interesting moments.

What is the importance of looking at common objects in a new way for photography?

Looking at common objects in a new way can lead to unique and interesting photographs, as it trains the photographer to see possibilities in everything around them and to explore with a different vision.

Why is it beneficial to have a plan or a visual library of ideas before going out to take photographs?

Having a plan or a visual library of ideas provides a starting point and direction for photography sessions, allowing photographers to make the best use of their time and to be prepared with concepts to explore.

What did the speaker use as a tool for jotting down photography ideas as a student?

The speaker used a tiny A5 hardback book to jot down thumbnail sketches and ideas for photographs, which could come from various sources such as TV shows, paintings, or spontaneous thoughts.

How can one build a visual library of photography ideas?

One can build a visual library by committing ideas to a physical or digital medium, such as sketching in a book or taking photos with a phone, which helps ingrain these ideas into their thinking process.

What is the role of awareness and focus in improving photography skills?

Awareness and focus are crucial in training the photographic eye to see possibilities and to capture the essence of a scene. They help in being present and attentive to the unfolding moments that can make a photograph stand out.

How can thinking photographically during mundane situations help a photographer?

Thinking photographically during mundane situations helps a photographer to practice seeing the potential for interesting shots in everyday life, which can make the most of their time when they do have a camera and also make boring times more engaging.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Developing Your Photographic Eye

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of consistently exercising one's 'photographic eye' even without a camera. The speaker suggests that due to the constraints of daily life, photographers often have limited time to practice, which can hinder the development of their skills. To overcome this, they recommend visualizing potential photographs in everyday situations, such as during a commute or while waiting. By mentally composing shots of common objects or scenes, photographers can train their eye to see beyond the ordinary and capture unique perspectives. The speaker also touches on the idea of 'the decisive moment' by Henry Cartier-Bresson, encouraging photographers to anticipate and capture fleeting moments that elevate an image from pretty to extraordinary.

05:03

🗒️ Cultivating Awareness and Planning for Photography

The second paragraph focuses on the concepts of awareness and planning in photography. It discusses how photographers can practice their craft by observing and being mindful of their surroundings, even in mundane situations. The speaker cites John Myvitz's advice to stand on a street corner and let the world flow past, which helps in overcoming the tendency to zone out common occurrences. By paying attention, photographers can discover interesting elements within the average. The paragraph also highlights the value of having a plan and a visual library of ideas, which can be jotted down in a notebook or sketched out. These ideas can later serve as a source of inspiration and a starting point for creating impactful photographs. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of thinking photographically in everyday situations to make the most of the limited time available for actual photography.

Keywords

💡Photographic Vision

Photographic Vision refers to the ability to see and capture images in a way that is visually compelling and artistic. In the video, it is emphasized as a skill that can be developed through practice and observation, even without a camera. The script mentions that by looking around and thinking about potential photographs in everyday situations, one can train this vision.

💡Incremental Exercises

Incremental exercises are small, gradual steps taken to improve a skill over time. The video suggests using these exercises to develop one's photographic eye, implying that consistent practice, no matter how small, contributes to the overall improvement of photography skills.

💡Mundane

Mundane refers to something ordinary or commonplace. The video script uses this term to describe everyday situations that might seem uninteresting at first glance but can become sources of inspiration for photography when viewed with a trained eye.

💡Decisive Moment

The 'Decisive Moment' is a concept popularized by photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, which is about capturing the perfect, fleeting instant that makes a photograph extraordinary. The video discusses how anticipating and recognizing these moments can elevate one's photography.

💡Anticipate

To anticipate in the context of photography means to predict and prepare for a moment that will make a compelling image. The video encourages viewers to learn to read and anticipate scenes in order to capture those decisive moments.

💡Ebb and Flow

Ebb and flow describe the rhythmic movement or change in intensity, similar to the rise and fall of tides. In the video, it is used metaphorically to describe the movement of crowds and the passage of time, which a photographer can observe and anticipate to capture the right moment.

💡Visual Library

A visual library is a collection of images, ideas, or concepts that inspire and inform one's photographic work. The video suggests building this library by jotting down ideas and sketches, which can later serve as a source of inspiration for photography.

💡Thumbnail Sketches

Thumbnail sketches are small, quick drawings that capture the essence of an idea. The video mentions using these sketches to record photographic ideas, which helps in planning and visualizing future shots.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration refers to the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to create something. The video script talks about drawing from a pool of inspiration, such as ideas from TV shows, paintings, or spontaneous thoughts, to enhance one's photography.

💡Photographically

To think 'photographically' means to view the world and its elements through the lens of a photographer, always considering how they can be captured in an image. The video encourages this mindset as a way to constantly train one's eye and find potential subjects for photography.

💡Wow Factor

The 'Wow Factor' is a term used to describe something that elicits a strong, positive reaction, often of surprise or admiration. In the context of the video, it refers to the impact a photograph can have when it captures an extraordinary moment or is presented in a unique way.

Highlights

The importance of practicing photography skills even without a camera.

The challenge of finding time to practice photography amidst daily life pressures.

Developing a photographic vision through small, incremental exercises.

Practicing photography during everyday moments like the school run or a commute.

The concept of training the 'photographic eye' to see potential in everyday objects.

Using the mind's eye to visualize how to photograph common objects in an interesting way.

The idea that mundane objects can be the subject of fascinating photographs.

The notion that great photographs are not necessarily from spectacular locations.

The significance of 'the decisive moment' in photography, as introduced by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Learning to anticipate and capture fleeting moments in a scene.

Practicing scene anticipation during everyday activities like having coffee.

The value of observing and understanding the patterns of everyday life for photography.

The concept of 'tuning in' to the world to notice interesting events within the ordinary.

The practice of jotting down photographic ideas in a notebook for future reference.

Building a visual library of images and ideas to draw inspiration from.

The advantage of having a plan and ideas before going out to take photographs.

The impact of thinking photographically on transforming mundane situations into opportunities for creative expression.

Transcripts

how's it has it unless you are a

professional photographer it is unlikely

that you have as much time as you would

like to practice your photography this

is how I actually practice and improve

my photographic skills without even

having a camera

we have all been there isn't it we

really want to go and take some

photographs but the the pressures of

day-to-day humdrum existence you know

stop us from from doing so so quite

often we are kind of confined to taking

pictures at you know very short

intervals and we spend a lot of the

beginning of that interval rushing

around trying to make the most of of

that limited time that we have

and the problem with that is that you

are trying to exercise a a muscle or in

this case a photographic Vision your

photographic eye

when it hasn't really been developed

because we're not doing the small

incremental

exercises that allows them to use our

photographic eyes as much as is possible

when we are actually out taking

photographs

the simplest way to do this which you

can do anytime on the school run on the

on the commute while you're sitting on

the train while you are at a doctor's

office what doesn't matter

just take a moment

to look around you

to see the things in front of you

to see beyond

what they normally are and think about

them in terms of

potential photographs

just idly think you know right now I'm

looking at my my mantelpiece like I just

think okay well how would I photograph

that there's a couple of picture frames

you know like a Buddha head and some

sort of German 1950s vars you know could

I photograph them in an interesting way

that's kind of what I'd like you to

start doing is to think about the things

that are in front of you to

stop just dismissing them and wasting

that time the more that you do this then

the more that you are training up that

muscle that I

to see the possibility in in everything

that's around you

and I think you'd be surprised if you

haven't done this before just how

interesting things can be when you stop

thinking of them simply as you know a

mantelpiece with some things on but as a

place to explore with a different vision

some of my favorite photographs are of

objects that are commonplace but they

are shown to us in a way that is just

it's incredible because you're like wow

that's amazing right it's it's such a a

pinprick to that balloon of an idea that

says you know we need to go somewhere

amazing to take photographs then unless

the scenery is spectacular or less it's

some sort of huge Metropolis you know or

some amazing landscape

that is kind of like near not really

worth photographing

so take the time to look

look closer to home if you've been

around photography for even a very short

period you've no doubt come across the

phrase the decisive moment and heard the

name Henry Cartier brison the reason

these two are so interlinked is because

wrote this book called the decisive

moment which is all about capturing that

fleeting

fleeting moment

when the picture happens when there is

something that occurs that elevates it

from Just something you know pretty to a

great photograph

now

you've got to look at that and go well

should he just kind of machine guns his

way through things and just steps up and

then you know then you get that Peak

moment and it's not really that simple

or tricky depending on how you want to

look at it it's more about learning to

read what's going on in front of you to

learn to anticipate the scene that is

unfolding before your eyes

you again can do this on your commutes

or you know when you're sitting having a

coffee possible on a Paris Boulevard or

maybe in a in a Starbucks in sort of you

know Middle America no matter where you

are learn to read

that action watch the ebb and the flow

of the crowds if you're at a train

station for example you know that every

you know a couple of minutes when a

train arrives people will jump off the

train people will get on the train there

will be crowds and then there will be

silence practice being tuned in to these

these passages of time of how things pan

out

again going back to John myvitz because

he's a he's a font of knowledge it has

to be said you know he talks about

standing on a street corner and

letting the world just kind of flow past

him for a while so he kind of gets over

this idea of the mundanity of what's

going on how we kind of Zone things out

and once he stopped zoning things out

then all of a sudden something

interesting happens that out of that

just averageness begins to surface the

interesting things in the averageness

because you're starting to pay attention

to them again and and I think there's a

fascinating thing we can only do this

when you're actually just sitting being

tuned in to what's going on and being

aware of of the events that surround you

you see when you put these two ideas

together you know the looking and the

awareness already you are practicing

your photography and and training up

your photographic eye so that when you

do get a chance to take photographs to

be out there with purpose with your

camera then you're not spending half an

hour trying to get back into the groove

of taking pictures of of you know

stretching and limbering up you know

you're you're making the best use of

your time and another way to make even

better use of that oh too brief period

of taking photographs is to have a plan

back when I was a photo student and of

course it was long before you know

smartphones and tablets and all that

kind of stuff like really long before

that I used to have a tiny A5 hardback

book that I would jot down in little

thumbnail sketches ideas that I had for

photographs

now this used to come from all sorts of

random places you know TV shows and you

know paintings and something I saw in a

book or just you know an idea that maybe

just popped into my head and I would jot

them down and go okay well this is

something to to revisit maybe later on

and I would encourage you to do this as

well depending on however you want to do

you can simply take you know pictures

with your with your phone or you know

indeed You Know sketch things out in a

book but once you start committing these

things to something then they are in

your your brain it's kind of going in

hand in hand with that visual library

that you're building up of pictures that

you enjoy

so you have that pool of inspiration to

to draw from later on and by making

conscious effort to write things down

it's funny how much these things go into

your actual I don't want to say

personality but the way that you think

about photographs the way that you have

at least a starting point

if you go to a landscape then you might

go okay well I've seen this sort of idea

with trees I've seen that sort of idea

with with rocks or you know whatever

same with with portraits if you are

going to a you know a model shoot one of

these kind of sessions where there's a

model you know there's been hired and

everybody goes and looks then if you

have some ideas

then at least you're not on the spot

trying to come up with something

right you've got to obey somebody said

this is what I want to try and you've

got focus and you've got Direction and

when you couple the focus and Direction

about what it is you want to take

pictures of all this is a starting point

with your trained eye that is Keen to

see possibilities that you may not be

aware of and and is aware also of

the little things that separate a good

photograph from something that has a wow

you know that people can't quite put

their finger on because you've all the

stars have aligned this is what you're

doing when you're training your eyes day

in day out even when you don't have a

camera even when you're in the most

mundane of situations

start to think photographically at the

very least it will help those very

boring times

go quickly to find out more about Henry

Cartier Persona and his decisive moment

how you can apply in your own

photography check out this video over

here I know that you'll find it

fascinating thank you ever so much for

watching and I'll see you again soon