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Week 21: Selective attention


Not focussing your attention is a problem at two distinct points in the birth of any photograph.

First, if you are mentally distracted when you are looking for photographs, you won't see all the creative opportunities in front of you.

Secondly, as you frame your image you might take shortcuts and believe your brain's interpretation over the reality. This happens when you make mistakes in exposure, or colour temperature. It also happens when you give the subject all your attention at the expense of the rest of the frame. Do you always take the time to check whether there is a lamppost sticking out of someone's head? Have you included far too much foreground? Is there a splash of red in the background that will distract from the subject?

Don't forget 1 Day 12 Pics this Saturday
 
 

Seeing, not just looking

Look at this spectacular sunset. An evening walk on the Sussex coast turned into this extravaganza of colour and cloud. This is what I saw:


But the image below shows what the camera actually saw. And if I'm honest, this is what I really saw as well. It was just my brain overlaying what I expected to see that created the impression of the extravaganza:

Are you really looking?

Any time that you get a disappointing photograph, or it's not quite how you imagined it - the fault is not with the camera. The camera just records the light in front of it. But your brain plays tricks:

- it exaggerates the apparent size of your subject in the frame

- it makes you skip over details in the background

- it has a lifetime of memories that will colour your perception

And how often have you gone out with a camera and come back with nothing. No inspiration, no photos to take? Again, your brain is taking the easy route. If you are looking without seeing, you will probably never find inspiration. You need to jolt your brain out of habit and force yourself to actively see what's in front of you, not just passively glance around.


Have you done the 'count the basketball throws' selective attention test before? If not, watch this video before you go on. Do it now if you're going to do it at all - there are spoilers further on in the email. It takes 55 seconds. If it doesn't display in the email, you can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo
 

THIS WEEK'S PROJECT: Seeing, not just looking

Try at least one of the projects. The first will help you to focus your attention on finding photographic opportunities when you are lost for ideas. The second will help you focus your attention on each frame that you take.

1 - finding photo opportunities

Just start

Use your phone, or put your camera on auto, and just start taking photos. Focus on one small area in front of you. Don't worry about settings or exposure, light or composition. Take any photograph. Now move a bit and take another, until you have 20 shots.

Now you can either delete them all, or go through them and see what you've got. You should find that the act of starting to take photos will spark new ideas

2 - focus on the frame

24 shots

Recreate the days of film: limit yourself to only 24 shots. And cover up your LCD completely so you don't sneak a peak as you go along. Wait until you get home to look at your photos. Or even better - leave it a couple of days like we used to have to. When we only had 24 (or 36) shots, we made the most of every single one. Give it a go, whether you remember shooting film or not. You'll find you slow right down, and you'll start to pay attention to every single thing in the frame before you press the shutter.

(If you have the first workbook, there are more ideas to try in Chapter 16.)

Share your images in the Facebook group, in the 1 February homework thread.


Don't forget 1 Day 12 Pics.

Next week: nothing is original. But it doesn't matter.

Emma

A couple from the archives...
 
 
 
 
 
Emma Davies Photography, Marigold, East Bracklesham Drive, Bracklesham Bay, Chichester, PO20 8JW, United Kingdom

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