Not how but why do we photograph what we do? Help us to create better images.

A member, fft81 who like the rest of us is looking to improve in photography, asked the question on another forum "How do you see photos before you take them?" . He went on to ask "How do you change or develop the way you see the world to find great shots?". There were many suggestions, but I did not see any replies from members that usually contribute to this forum. And there are many talented and creative people here. So I thought I'd pose the same questions to our mini-community in Canon Powershot. We talk a lot about the mechanics here to get the best usage from our cameras. That's valid because it's historically been a forum about equipment and its mechanical ability. But more and more it's also becoming an image forum. We're finding our way not only technically, but artistically as well. And there are many different paths.  I had my own particular thoughts on the process as I experience it and repeat them here:

"Many posters here have suggested taking lots of pictures to pick out what you like, or look at others' pictures to see what you like, or try this or that mechanical technique to see what you like. I would suggest a slightly different approach. The next time you want to go out and take pictures, don't take a camera. Many times when we have a camera with us and not a specific assignment for that camera, we take many mundane images because we don't know what we are looking for or why we are even looking at all. Even if we give ourselves an assignment, we look for the "most prettiest" image of that assignment without defining for ourselves what "most prettiest" is. Insert any other description for "prettiest" and you'll get the idea. In each case, what it really is is that we haven't defined for ourselves what moves us about what we see. If you think about it, in today's world we have seen everything. And everything has been photographed from every angle and in every light possible. But what the world hasn't seen is everything as experienced through our own eyes, with our own experiences and perceptions and senses of comfort or fear. What we are curious about or mystified by. What makes us stop and notice and linger awhile. What makes us dream. If you have a camera with you, you'll continue to see what the camera sees and possibly take nice but mundane images of something you may like, and then move on. But if you don't have the camera with you, you may notice something and take the time to explore, to see what feeling it evoked in you to make you stop in the first place, to notice what quality it has that you identify with. It may be a grand vista or a single fall leaf holding fast in the sun. It may be an elder person, lined with age, snoozing on a park bench, or the playful eyes of a mischevious child. It may be anything that you look at and smile, or frown, or raise your eyebrows, or go "hmmm", or just stop for a moment because . . . Becuse it means something to you.

"And then if you say, "Now that, that I would want to share with people. Show them what I felt about it. That it is . . ."  Then you are on your way. People notice form and color and pretty and such in an image and say "that's nice." But people stop and tarry and think or feel when they notice part of the artist in the image. What makes you tick? Go out multiple times without the camera and you'll probably start to notice a pattern. Although we are all different, in many ways we are the same and that something you notice may make others tick as well. Once you know that about yourself, everything else is just technique. After decades of practicing this craft, I've got the technique down pretty well, but I still see images when I don't have a camera. And even when I do have a camera, I sometimes don't take it out but just look and enjoy what it means to me."

So what's your process or what would you suggest to help us all take more eye-catching or creative or inspiring images with our cameras?  Help us to create better images.

Vision