Cultivate Your Photography Eyesight

Equipment-oriented photography becomes trendy

A question keeps bugging me recently, are we, as the consumers, when the manufacturers pay more and more attention to their customers, losing something as well? By browsing the official web sites of all famous branded cameras, you may notice that zoom lenses flourish every where serving as the kit lenses for almost all the newly developed cameras. It was until last year when the appearance of EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) and its enormous vogue made a dent in this phenomenon that the combination of fixed-focus cameras came into its existence. However, the sales champion of the lenses remains the 18 - 200 mm zoom lens which is also commonly referred to as “tourist lens.”

A greedy photographer

Radically speaking, putting aside the expense, every photographer aspires for the perfection that after an eyeful of all the scenery, ranging from the remote running leopard to the verdant valley with straight tall trees they could be demonstrated and faithfully recorded. We can’t deny the fact that those images, when reviewed afterward, can be very gorgeous and evocative. However, when your current apparatus can’t be supportive enough to record the fowl far away or the waterfall descending rapidly, what we can do is just shelf the camera and let go.

Shelving your camera for a while, not for good

Thinking about it from another perspective, even if we are better equipped with better shooting skills, something will still be beyond our reach, be it a scenery or a moment. So we are advocating shelving your camera for a while, not for good. Try to get a complete mastery of the current instead of chasing those scenery impossible to take. Take advantage of your position and narrate the story in another way through angle, atmosphere and environment.

More observation is a good solution to cultivate your photography eyesight

Every one has a unique perspective of observation. Some are very alert to the subtle differences of the surroundings; they find it lovely of even a tiny insect around them, yummy of a delicate cherry on the surface of the cake and heart-wrenching of the lines and wrinkles on parents’ faces. Others are considering places over ten meters away as “heaven.” He is able to see the bird perching on the tree, hear the kids having fun and games from afar and notice the girl waiting at the bus stop across the street.

Every one has a different viewpoint as well. Some are considering the insect working diligently on top of the isolated flowers; the cherry designed to decorate the characters “Happy Birthday” on the cake; and the lines and wrinkles, as the trail of the treadle of the sewing machine. Ten meters away is a garden too. They are considering the perching bird preparing for the next flight; the frolicking kids showing their brightness and breeziness with their smile and the girl across the street, what is she thinking about?

Be a master of the current moment and position — It is absolutely unique

The value of photography lies in the moment, its uniqueness. It is only once in one’s life to be in a certain place at a certain time. Due to the different perspectives of different photographers, the moment they shoot will differ from each other although under identical time and place. Looking through the images you have taken, as time goes by, will you be tired of the more and more stereotyped images? But if you have a look of others’ work, you might wonder why you cannot achieve that effect. However, in cold blood, different photographers have different perspectives in the first place; blind imitation will only bring ludicrous effect.

“The quality of the image is up to the brain behind the viewfinder”

There is a famous saying online: “The quality of the image of the image is up to the brain behind the viewfinder,” which is vague and general. It is more a key than a solution of teaching you how to think. The veterans also say “Appreciating others’ work will make you progress,” which is still hollow. It is no more than an euphemism of saying you are silly and not telling you at all how to find the shortcomings. The quality of the camera is not the focus of our discussion, though it can change lots of things. The blueprint that each photographer is aspiring for absolutely requires more consideration comparing with the machine itself.

Talking about the blueprint, the content from the textbook lacks a very important factor-people.People, as a factor involved, will add sentiment to the images. People are transient with observations so it is impossible for them to keep the doctrines from the book or the veterans in mind when they shoot the images. The value of photography lies in the moment; It is even far away from possible to predict the upcoming scenery with expectation.

If it were possible, then it would be called the record. Once people as a factor get involved, everything becomes complicated but simplified at the same time. It is complicated that there are one hundred cases for one hundred people who cannot be satisfied completely; And it is simplified that what you need to do is just take care of yourself because only you yourself knows how to do it.

Equipment limited, Imagination infinite

Do not rely on the feeling that the lens tells you and do not be stubborn for the desire of the scenery. Firstly figure it out precisely what you want to shoot, how you observe it and when you grasp that moment. Choose the correct perspective which means the right camera lens, and then show your sense of aesthetics perfectly. Secondly don’t rush to aspire for what you have observed since the equipment is limited but the imagination is infinite. Take good use of the camera and embody the moment that you want to take but failed through another story.

Alfred is a programmer with a keen interest in panoramic photography. He has travelled to many places and now works for FastPano, a photo stitching software company.

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