The Photographic “Eye”: Innate or Learned?
Have you had someone tell you had an eye for photography? What does that even mean? That you know how to take a good picture? I had someone tell me I had the “eye” many years ago when I had just messed around with the camera. Looking back at those pictures, they were crap. Crap, I tell you.
I’ll tell you what that comment did for me though. That little comment gave me a nice boost of confidence that drove me to pursue photography a little more that what I was doing at the time. It made me feel as though I was special and that I was naturally good at something. But was I?
I do not believe that the photographic eye is something you are born with. I believe it is a learned way of seeing the world through a lens. Those who are out there that feel as though they do not have an artistic bone in their body – have hope. It wasn’t until someone gave me a boost of confidence(perhaps false confidence?) that I was ready to take on the challenge of photography. The photographic eye is simple. It is recognizing situations where the elements of art come together in a frame. It is opening your eyes a little wider and really paying attention to the details of the world around you.
If you are wondering “what about those people who can just pick up a camera with no photography background and STILL take a beautiful shot?”. Well, just like anything in life, some people have different backgrounds and different learning curves. If you have any artistic background, whether that be painting, drawing, designing, decorating…anything….then you are already exposed to elements that are appealing and beautiful, and are more likely to pick it up quicker than those with no artistic background.
My sister once asked me how I take such good pictures. She said “All I do is see what I want in the picture, put it in the center, and snap the shot”. Well, there’s the first problem. That’s exactly what you’re NOT supposed to do. If you do a quick study of photography, the rule of thirds will surely be one of the first you read about. Then next time, you ask yourself “Ok, I know it’s not supposed to be in the center, so I’ll move the subject off center”. You do that and you are now more aware of what is in your frame, and you are making your picture more interesting. That’s an easy one.
I think most people relate the “eye” as more of the composition of the photo. I have never heard of anybody who has just been able to pick up a camera and know how to use every setting to get a perfect exposure. A good way to practice composing shots can be done without a camera. When you are going about your day to day activities, look around you. Look for the patterns, the colors, the depth, the symmetry of normal, everyday life. Take mental note when you see something that would make a good picture – train your vision.
I think anybody has the potential to be a great photographer. I don’t think you have to be born with this magical eye that allows you to produce beautiful images. I think if you want to be a photographer, and are willing to study and practice, you can be as good as you want to be. If you are looking for that boost of confidence that I got years ago, send me some of your pictures and I’ll give you the genuine encouragement and critique that you may need.
Grab the Feed
Everyone has a great photograph in them, but not everyone can be a great photographer. Creating a visual narrative, consistently, is the gift that photographers have and what the term “photographer’s eye” is coined around.
I think it is something not everyone has in them or can learn. Photography may not have been your strong point during those “crap” photos, but there was something in them that naturally caught attention to someone. You took the positive comment and decided to pursue a career path with a positive attitude and this bettered your “photographer’s eye”.
I’ve been shooting for roughly 7 or 8 years and only last year did I find out i had photography in my genes. I learned some of my elders in my family were photographers and i have a uncle that still uses film. So yes i believe that it is kind of built into an individual. But like anything in this world with hard work and perseverance you can do what you want and if someone wants to take this career path then it can be learned. Having an artistic eye and being creative is something you can not teach though.
I feel as though art/creativity is something that can be taught. You see a great photograph, and you don’t know who took it, or how easily it came to that person. All you see is the end result. Whether that person who took the picture was their first one ever, or it was someone who had taken years and years to get to that point, it’s still the same photograph. They both would be considered to have an eye for photography.
When I decided I wanted to really know photography, I surrounded myself with it. I read about it, looked at hundreds and hundreds of pictures, took classes, etc. I think with the right teacher/mentor, anyone can learn how to consistently create visual narratives and be a successful, legit, photographer.
I totally agree. The eye can be educated by teaching or even by self taught, there’s absolutely no doubt about that. In my school arts in Spain, teachers gave us only the tools to explore the limits of our creativity. I think only genius are innate, the rest of the humanity can learn
I think this just might be something I needed to read at this point in my life. I am really starting to wonder if I have what it takes to create work that is not only valued on a technical level but on an emotional level. I am not sure if it is my work or lack of knowledge of self promotion, but lack of career momentum is starting my mind questioning.
I guess I need to just keep trying, learning, and growing. Though, I would appreciate genuine feedback as well ;)
<3
Don’t give up!! If you have a passion for photography and really want to excel, you are bound to fail a time or two (or at least feel like you have failed) in the process. You have to be in a constant state of self critique – always finding ways to improve, then mastering them.
Feel free to email me at stacy (at) fuelyourphotography dot com.
For me it is taking time to look at yourself and developing your own style. Sure get ideas from the vast array of resources but nothing (and I mean nothing), beats that feeling when you know you have pushed yourself.
Rgds
Karl.
I had a photography teacher tell me that anyone can take a great photograph once but what makes a real photographer and take that success of that photograph and repeat it 100 times and then your a photographer and then you have to keep doing it over and over. Or something like that.
So I guess the question is – do you have to do it 100 times over by natural skill, or by hard work and practice?
I once met a Polish woman who had a ‘natural’ aesthetic viewpoint. In London, she had climbed a fence into a condemned building, and walked up several flights of rusty ‘iron lace’ fire escape, to take a shot. She intuitively tilted the camera progressively further down and widened the composition, until her own tanned legs and gold shoes were in the frame and beautifully complemented the peeling rusty red steel.
This woman was completely ‘untrained’ but had imagination and was quite prepared to experiment. The work she produced was stunning and I have it framed on my walls.
I have worked in film & photography for 30 years, with some brilliant image makers, and it is creating or capturing ‘magic moments’ like these (static or in motion) which brings great satisfaction.
Being a great photographer is mostly about knowing yourself. When an image stirs your soul and you feel an intense connectedness, then you have “your story.” Every photographer creates an essay about his or her own cosmology. What color is the sky in your universe means knowing what reverberates for you. Capture that image. You have your story. You have a moment of truth.
Not everyone who learns to paint will become Picasso, but you don’t know how good you are until you learn the basics. Digital photography has given millions of people the chance to get their thousand bad photos out of their system a lot quicker than film would have let them, and reading a few of the many basic tutorials on the internet will let people take the next step.
The average quality of photos has increased incredibly since the digital revolution, and that can only be a good thing.
So, imagine how poor an artist Picasso would have been had he never learned to paint and now imagine how many gifted photographers get a chance to discover and realise their talents. In my opinion, we’re in the early days of a golden age.
Certainly, not feeling with an “eye” can be pretty frustrating. I’ve been in there a lot of time, and you always feel like you will never reach a good quality point. But now I see that my photography is way better than before. And that’s been possible after lot os training and, over all, making lots of photographs.
I think that anyone can learn how to take technically decent photos, right exposure, composition etc. But to take artisticlly beautiful photos is just something inside you that other people don’t have. I could teach you how to use photoshop, but it doesn’t mean you’ll ever create anything worthwhile.