#howtosee

Can one be “taught” to see photographically? I don’t know. But I’m going to run an experiment designed to give feedback on the "seeing" ability of novice artist/photographers.

As a member of a local camera club (a large one with about 90 members), I am facilitating a portion of our introductory judging workshop. This year the workshop with be split into three 2-hour long sessions. The sessions are focused on how to apply technique, composition, and impact when judging photographic art. The club has four competitions each month, excluding the several monthly external competitions available to members through our umbrella organization (N4C).

I am facilitating the last session, on Impact/Interest.

Typically novice photographers are so overwhelmed by the operation of their new camera, be it analog or digital, they fail to "see".  So my intention is to remove the knobs and button -  the technology if you will - and promote the "seeing".

At the first session of the judging workshop, I will distribute single use (disposable, 27 exposure) cameras to the new club members.  They are to use the cameras to generate images that relate to a theme(s)  of their choice.  I've found that Walgreens will process the cameras in-house in one hour, and deliver 4x6 prints and digital images on a CD for about $11.  No post-processing allowed in this experiment.

When my Impact session convenes, two weeks later, the photographers will present 3-5 images from that disposable camera, and other members will attempt to ascertain the photographers theme based solely on the images. All photographers will have used the same technology to produce their image.  Technology will be constant.  Only individual creativity in communicating what they see will remain.