Eye's Perspective

Olympus8MP · Apr 18, 2007

Has anyone else here noticed that photography has changed the way you look at things (in both a literal and figurative sense) ? What I've noticed is now that I'm actively involved in photography as a hobby, I see things that I didn't see before. I notice subtle patterns of light and color, that I would have overlooked before. I see, on a sunny day, that the grass is a deeply saturated green. Even things I see on a daily basis I see differently now, and notice different perspectives, even when I'm not carrying my SLR.

I'd be interested to know if anyone else noticed this after toying with photography for a few months. :mrgreen:

Alpha · Apr 18, 2007

Same here.

panocho · Apr 18, 2007

sure! but I wouldn't say it in the technical sense in which you seem to comment.

photography is basically learning to watch. The camera with its lens functions as a means to stress your own eye, your watching; with the camera in your eye you focus all your attention in watching: where to watch and how to watch.

once you've done that with the camera you also do it without, and don't just pass by anymore, but watch

DSLR noob · Apr 18, 2007

Wow that sounds strangely familiar. Wait, it's because I posted noticing the same thing.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71632

Olympus8MP · Apr 18, 2007

DSLR noob said:
Wow that sounds strangely familiar. Wait, it's because I posted noticing the same thing.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71632

hmm... I never saw that. I must have missed it, as that was shortly after I became active on this forum.

ashfordphoto · Apr 18, 2007

ive noticed that too. I keep noticing that if I'm on a sidewalk, or in an aisle, or looking at a subject from a typical perspective I kinda lean to the side, stand on my toes, or crouch a little bit to get just a different perspective. It's not something I intentionally do, but my wife pointed it out to me on a walk the other night. fairly amusing

Olympus8MP · Apr 18, 2007

ashfordphoto said:
ive noticed that too. I keep noticing that if I'm on a sidewalk, or in an aisle, or looking at a subject from a typical perspective I kinda lean to the side, stand on my toes, or crouch a little bit to get just a different perspective. It's not something I intentionally do, but my wife pointed it out to me on a walk the other night. fairly amusing

ha I haven't started doing that yet....

give me time... :lmao:

gmarquez · Apr 19, 2007

Olympus8MP said:
I see things that I didn't see before. I notice subtle patterns of light and color, that I would have overlooked before. I see, on a sunny day, that the grass is a deeply saturated green.

Yes. However, it has gotten annoying, as I now see white objects in shadow on a sunny day as "blue", and not white (maybe my brain's white balance has been turned off). Also, before about a year ago, I'd never really noticed colors and textures, they were just "there".

ashfordphoto said:
I kinda lean to the side, stand on my toes, or crouch a little bit to get just a different perspective

Yeah, I've found myself trying to "re-compose" a scene also (while not having my camera).

Torus34 · Apr 19, 2007

I tend to slip in and out of 'photo' mode. A good part of the time, I look at the world without really noting that it's in Technicolor(r) and stereo. Then, like clicking a switch, I start seeing sections of the visual scene with a mental 'frame' around it. I usually work in b&w so in 'photo' mode the scene is viewed with regard to densities as well as colors.

The 'photo' mode can be triggered by picking up a camera.