Recently I have been thinking a lot about the relationship between seeing and taking pictures as I find myself growing more and more acutely aware of the details in my surroundings. The more I shoot, the more I see and the more I see, the more I shoot. I am continually amazed at the things that I see and even more amazed that I am able to capture some of those experiences with my camera.
I have fallen in love with a quotation attributed to photographer Dorothea Lange, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” Even when I don’t have a camera in my hand, I seem to be viewing the world differently than I did in the past. My sensitivity has undoubtedly been heightened by greater knowledge of my subjects and my skills honed by lots of practice and familiarity with my gear.
This past Friday, I spotted a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) soaring in the air over the waters adjacent to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. That was not very unusual and I was able to capture some shots like the second one below. As the eagle flew out of range, I noticed that it seemed to be decreasing in altitude and circling back, so I continues tracking the bird. Somehow I suspected that the eagle was tracking a fish. Unlike an osprey that drops straight down into the water to catch a fish, an eagle seems to pluck a fish out of the water as it flies by.
I watched in awe and wonder as the eagle caught a fish. My timing was off a bit and my shots of the moment of the moment of the catch were not in focus, but I captured this image of the eagle flying away with its catch, an image that I really liked. As I think back about the experience, I feel absolutely no disappointment that I did not photograph it better. Instead, I feel a kind of joy and exhilaration that I was able to experience a really cool moment in nature.
Photography has opened my senses to those kinds of moments and motivates me to spend hours on end trekking about with my camera in hand. Capturing those experience in images is a real bonus whenever I am able to do so.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Being there, seeing the eagle in action is the best part, Mike. Capturing him and sharing the image is wonderful (and we appreciate it) but getting out into nature is clearly the benefit.
I totally agree, Dan. “Being there” is no guarantee that I will see cool things, but it sure raises the odds.
Sometimes I wonder if the other side of Dorothea Lange’s words isn’t, “The cellphone is an instrument that teaches people not to see, even with a camera.” I’m no Luddite, and I understand that wonderful things can be done with smartphone cameras, but still… I see a lot of mindless clicking, and a lot of people snapping photos of things they don’t really look at. It’s going to be interesting to see how things develop in the future.
Love the quote, so true! Keep doing what you are doing!
Beautiful shot!
I may have read Lange’s quote before, but it has been what I’ve tried to convey when teaching photography, especially children. The camera is a tool and by experiencing nature, it can be used to train the eye.
It’s a great thing, kenne, to be able to convey that idea to kids who possess such abundant curiosity and energy.
As a photographer and a landscape artist I have found that the camera does indeed teach you to see more. And, of course, having the rectangle viewfinder makes you really analyze your composition. I think being a photographer has really helped me be a keener observer of the natural world which in turn helps me translate it through painting in a better way. I really enjoy your shots and accompanying narratives.
Thanks, Sally. I love the way that you describe the synergy between your photography and your painting.
I totally agree with you Mike that the camera is a great tool to highten your attention and awareness. You look for opportunities and details, to observe first and capture next. Sometimes you even get to see tiny details with the camera that you can’t see with the naked eye, as with macro shots.
Thanks, Chris, for weighing in. Most of the time I am shooting with a telephoto zoom lens or a macro lens and both of them let me see more details that I would otherwise be able to see.
Thoughtful post, Mike, and always nice to see your Eagle images. I am also amazed at the wonders of nature I have seen on my photographing treks. Slowing down, watching scenes unfold, and honing the skills are all wonderful experiences.
Thanks, Ellen. Unlike many bloggers, I don’t do a lot of planning for a blog post beyond choosing a photo or photos from a recent shoot. The tone and content of a posting is often reflective of my mood and sometimes I am introspective and contemplative, which other times I am content to describe my subjects or the process of getting a particular image. I originally started the blog to showcase my photos, but have grown to love expressing myself in words as much as in images.
I like that Dorothea Lange quote.
Very true! Photography does help you “see” in many ways! Just even walking in an area, you tend to “see” interesting subjects that most people just walk by and never see.
Mike,
I experienced something similar, even with my little point and shoot camera. Walking in the woods, I just seemed to notice more, because subconsciously, I was on the lookout for interesting shots. I’ve given up on photography–i’m not patient enough to lug all that equipment around or even to learn how to use it properly! But even from my limited experience, I agree that I see better, or look at the world differently, than I did before I went around taking snapshots. How much more amazing must this be for you!
Thanks so much, Nina, for your perceptive comments. Increasingly I am realizing that for me the experience is often more important than the images. I know there are places I could go and get some amazing photos, but I don’t want to have to fight the crowds–I prefer the serenity of a more solitary communion with nature. As for gear, it is not really all that important, especially when your photos are meant to be reminders of an experience. Enjoy your walks, take photos of whatever catches your eye, and don’t worry about comparing them with others–that’s my approach at least.
Mike, this is wonderful advice. I still take lots of photos with my phone and post them to Facebook. 🙂 But I rely on you and some other photographers I follow to get the wonderful closeups of animals and plants. Your bird photos are really marvelous. (I confess to preferring them to the dragonfly photos you are so fond of!) Keep up the wonderful work! Maybe someday I will get down your way and see those eagles.
It is always interesting to hear what people like and I respect the fact that not everyone likes insect photos and even fewer like my close-ups of spiders and snakes. I am blessed to live in an area where I see Bald Eagles fairly regularly, although they never fail to excite me when I spot one.