Noticing

The more I make photographs, especially of flowers over a series of days, I believe that making photographs is a kind of

Noticing

all kinds of things. There are textures, shapes, and colors. And my mind perceives grace, beauty, softness, and more. The longer I work with the same bunch of flowers, the more I experience, appreciate, and see. It is as if seeing the true essence of something takes time, patience, openness, and a willingness to simply be present.

As any photographer will testify, noticing is a skill that can be trained. The more time we commit to looking, the keener our eye becomes and the more often we discover rewards hidden in plain sight.
— Sophie Howarth, The Mindful Photographer

I read Sophie Howarth’s book, The Mindful Photographer this morning. And it reminded me once again why I am a photographer and what I love about photography.

Like all technologies, photography can either intensify or diminish our presence in the world. We have all seen people with their head trapped behind a large SLR or stuck in a phone and know that the camera can easily become just another digital distraction. Taking a lot of photographs does not automatically mean we are training in mindfulness. Yet, practiced thoughtfully, photography has tremendous potential for helping us cultivate an embodied state of clarity, curiosity, compassion, calm and confidence.
— Sophie Howarth, The Mindful Photographer

For me, falling in love with photography was a way of falling in love with life. I began seeing beauty everywhere I went and noticing tiny little scenes in nature full of grace and spirit.

In her book Howarth talks about several photographers who practice a mindful approach to photography, includes some of their photographs, and suggests short assignments at the end of each beautiful chapter. I enjoyed looking up the photographers she mentioned, to find more of their work. And I look forward to trying some of her assignments, many of which are more about mindfulness than about photography.

What are you noticing in your life today my friends?

May you walk in beauty.