When I teach photography, one of the first assignments that I give my students intentionally restricts their view to a 10 foot X 10 foot area.

I learned this from my great teacher Oscar Bailey. I know that many teachers use this same or a similar technique as a way to teach the art of seeing. They use it because there is great value in its practice.

With film, the old lesson called for a whole roll of film to be shot in the confines of a 10 x 10 square. Of course, the restriction was only a guide. The idea of a confined area is the important part. Besides being a suggested size, there are no other restrictions. The student only needs to find 36 different images from their chosen space. It can be anywhere they want. They can choose to stay in the space as long as they wish and they may leave the space and return as long as all of the images are taken within.

Many 4×5 photographers restrict the number of sheets of film they take with them for the same reason. It allows them to look hard and carefully for their images. These days, we can do the same thing with digital by restricting ourselves to a small card and a single camera. I would suggest a camera with a single focal length lens if you have one. I would also suggest that you keep the images for evaluation on your computer so that you can learn from the mistakes, see what went wrong and prepare for the next outing. In the end, it is more important to understand the benefits of self-imposed restrictions.

When the serious student is forced to take photographs from a small area of the world, he/she begins to look for the details. It is tough to do at first. But it usually does not take too long before they begin to see things up close. They start to look at shadows. They see the grass or the sidewalk or the ceiling in a room as a potential image. They begin to notice the light changing. They see their own shadows, a tree in the distance, an insect on the ground and the curve of a blade of grass. The textures of things become more important. They begin to see things like color and shape. They look up at the sky for a cloud or maybe a bird. The sun on their skin, the wind in the leaves, and the colors of light become important elements. They begin to anticipate change and begin to see and feel their world.

It is great practice for all of us. Not only does it allow us to find images but also allows us to see the world as it presents itself to us. Wherever I take pictures, it is my practice to feel the world around me in such a way as I feel connected to what is present. The first and most important ingredient of photography is connecting with my subject. For me, the first step to failure is when I do not connect with my subject.

What you find is that there are images everywhere. It takes practice to see. It is a meditation. It is a way to understand your subject. It is a way to understand you.

When you go out into the bigger world you will be glad you practiced in your smaller space.

Please have a look at some of my other posts here.

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