To see more . . .

by Kim

. . . we need to see less.

No, today is not opposite day, and yes that sounds a bit confusing, I admit. I mean, how is that possible to see more if we are seeing less?

A couple of posts ago I talked about perspective and how it has an effect on how I see things in my photography {and life} and that in both if I stand where I've always stood nothing will ever look different.

And, in my last post I talked about how expectations can cause me to lose my ability to be open to the moment at hand, and in my photography those expectations translate to pre-visualization. And that simply doesn't allow me to see things freshly unless I dismiss what I think I already know or expect.

So, in getting back to seeing more, I have a challenge  . . . let's change our lens. Now what does this have to do with seeing more you ask?

Well, sometimes we limit ourselves by the lenses we use, both on our cameras and in our minds and in the process we can limit our view {both on film and in life}. Now, I wonder if you have ever noticed as I have, that when using a lens that zooms, that because it zooms you may automatically expect to see more around you. It does make sense after all, right? But with a zoom lens we don't really have to move much, and just a flick of the wrist and we are instantly closer. But that can tend to make us a little lazy and I think we actually end up seeing less. The expectation that our lens will show us the way will often disappoint us in our final outcome because it tends to keep us from taking the opportunity to move around more and to find a different point of view.

I am in no way saying we should get rid of or not use our zoom lenses, no way, no how! After all with a zoom lens you can achieve more compositions (from one spot) relative to your subject. But what I am challenging you to is to change your lens before you go out one day to a fixed focal length lens, a "prime" lens, and let that be your only lens for the day (or week) and see what happens.

I find myself changing more and more to one of my three prime lenses ( 40mm macro, 50mm 1.8, and 85mm 1.8). Primes are better for shallow depth of field, they have better light gathering ability, they're faster, are lighter in weight, and a little easier on the pocketbook.

Using a fixed lens forces me to be more aware of my surroundings and less lazy as I have to think more about my composition and find different points of view. When I can't zoom it makes me stand where I might not have and not only do I see more because of it,  but the things I do see do look differently!

{You can see more in the little green tree frog series here, on my blog}