LEARNING TO OBSERVE

Special thanks to Tristan Jensen

Untitled Slide

He was excited to help me, but his methods were unusual.

He pulled a large jar off the shelf.

He put the fish on a tray and told me to...

LOOK AT YOUR FISH!

Entomology is far less stinky than ichthyology.

Ten minutes passed. I had seen all there was to see of the stinky fish.

The professor was no where to be found, so I continued to study the fish.

For HOURS

And HOURS

And HOURS

I found out later that a magnifying glass was forbidden.

My eyes and hands were the only tools allowed.

The fish became loathsome.

So, I decided to sketch the fish to help me organize what my eyes were seeing.

The professor got very excited. " The pencil is one of the best of eyes!"

The professor wasn't completely satisfied though.

He kept saying....

"...but what do you see??"

I explained my observations, but they were not enough.

I was commanded, "Keep looking!"

More time passed. The afternoon drifted into evening. Observations continued.

I was told to remember the fish through the night.

I had had enough of the fish!

The next day I pleased the professor by noting the symmetry of the fish.

The next day I studied the fish ALL. DAY. LONG.

I was told to remember the fish through the night.

I had had enough of the fish!

"That is good, that is good!" he repeated; "but that is not all; go on"; and so for three long days he placed that fish before my eyes; forbidding me to look at anything else, or to use any artificial aid.

"Look, look, look," was his repeated injunction.

Three days!

On day four, the professor brought out TWO fish. "Share the resemblances and differences!" he implored.

"At the end of eight months, it was almost with reluctance that I left these friends and turned to insects; but what I had gained by this outside experience has been of greater value than years of later investigation in my favorite groups."

Samuel Scudder learned to be observant by forcing himself to slow down and push past boredom and even repulsion.

How will a story about a fish help my photography?

The key to better photography won't cost you money,

...but it will cost you your time.

Time spent in careful observation is never wasted.

Being keenly observant helps everything.

Meet Charlotte Mason.

She lived about the same time as Samuel Scudder.

She understood children and created an educational system that revolved around careful and practiced observation.

Her methods exercised and stretched the skill of being observant.

You can use her methods to become a better photographer.

Art played an important part in her observation techniques.

She taught her students to carefully observe and then tell back what they remembered. This is called narration.

We can "tell back" with our images.

Observe the world with all of your senses.

Learn to see more by listening carefully. Music may be expressed visually.

Learn composition and light through art.

Deepen your observation skills by sketching and narrating well written stories and poetry.

Then flex your observation muscle with carefully chosen observation exercises.

Start your journey with The Art of Observation

Points to remember:

Determine if you WANT to be inspired.

Observation takes work.

You do not have to LIKE what you are observing.

...and finally
Observation is a cumulative exercise.

LOOK AT YOUR .....

SHELL!

Rules:

• 10 solid minutes
• No distrctions
• Plan how you want to shoot the shell
• After ten minutes, you will shoot your shell.