I offer my “7 Tips to Nurture the Art of Seeing” in the spirit Pablo Picasso’s words: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”

I think part of what helps us wash away that “dust” is finding ways to approach the world differently than we usually do. I welcome your input and suggestions and successes in doing that. Email me and let me know what works for you!

1) Think like a kid.

When framing the shot, ask yourself, “How would a child visualize this?” Then capture it in those terms.

2) Get rid of preconceptions.

Before taking any shot, stop & make sure you aren’t carrying along a preconceived idea of how it “should” be done according to someone else’s vision or according to a shot you may have seen done before. Try a whole day of taking shots without the word “should.” Use the words, “What if?” instead.

3) Look upside down.

Get your ideas by viewing the world topsy turvy. A whole other way of composing, feeling, & being exists when you turn your camera ground down.

4) Shoot from one spot.

How many different images can you create from a single spot? Don’t let yourself move from where you’re at for at least an hour. Change the lens if you want, but not your position.

5) Touch it first.  

Don’t shoot it until you feel it. In other words, use your sense of touch – a sense we don’t usually associate with photography – to help you “see” something you might not normally.

6) Fix that focal length.

Spend an entire day keeping your focal length the same no matter what you shoot or where you go. Force yourself to work within that boundary & discover some surprising results.

7) Pick a color.

Choose one color & make that the focal point for a day. You’ll be amazed at how that transforms your art & your ability to see.