Learning to see creatively

Albert Pedrosa
Photo mania

LAST weekend, I was invited to join a photowalk. Street photography is really not my cup of tea, but to change my routine, I decided to join anyway. It was not my first time to do a photowalk. I normally join the annual Scott Kelby worldwide photowalk. As I was warming up to find creative shots or interesting subjects, I remembered the days when I was struggling to get a decent shot.

I found myself in the book of Bryan Peterson, Learning to See Creatively. In his first few paragraphs, he described the frustration of a newbie photographer during a photowalk where other photographers would crowd a subject or would suddenly snap a quick shot here and there. How can you activate your eyes to see creatively? I’ve been through it, and personally, it’s a battle every photographer has to go through.

It was the same challenge I got from being asked to talk about photography to a group of doctors who know nothing about photography. When I started out in photography, the resources were abundant. There were countless books and photographers’ works to follow, but gaining momentum was one of the greatest feats.

The only way for me to keep the doctors awake during my short talk was to talk about how a photograph plays an important role in our lives. I started out with Kodak moments and a picture of a child’s first steps. I followed it with pictures of the baby’s first birthday, the kid’s first day at school, and all the important times of our lives.

I told them to imagine a life without pictures. After that they were all ears in understanding how to compose a shot using their smart phones and point and shoot cameras. We had a short practice in the streets and I was surprised to see their shots. It was great.

One thing I realized after our short session was that seeing things creatively is not where you begin. You have to appreciate moments first and experience how pictures can move you and bring you back in time. Seeing creatively is just a matter of sharing the experience. Like a book, you tell the story through your photos.

You should Google composition tips from Steve McCurry. I find it really helpful, and of course the book of Bryan Peterson, Learning to See Creatively. Keep on shooting, everyone!

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