Man Walking – © John Neel
Focusing is an art, especially in photography.
However, I’m only making a partial reference to its expected photographic meaning. I am more interested in the subject matter of an image than in the way it is rendered by a lens.
focus |ˈfōkәs|noun ( pl. focuses or foci |ˈfōˌsī; ˌkī|) the center of interest or activity • an act of concentrating interest or activity on something.
In my way of thinking, focus implies a sense of subject. Focus is the “what” of an image. It is what you want the viewer to see and hopefully understand.
Focus comes from having an interest in a specific thing, an idea, or a point of departure.
A point of departure is the point at which a journey begins. In art and photography, it is a learning process used to discover something, to explore an idea, gain knowledge, provoke thought and realization.
Creativity is the act of focusing on a concept or an idea. It is what happens when we are absorbed by our subjects. It is an awareness of something that will make us better for having seen it. It is an understanding.
Focus is what a good photographer does. It is the act of imaging an idea or a metaphor. It is the creative transformation of a subject for the purpose of understanding an idea about reality or existence. The photograph should be a visual representation that provokes contemplation.
Focus can be compassionate, sympathetic, questioning, an argument, meditation. It is a way to transform your thinking into a tangible form. It is a way to broaden your understanding of your world.
As communication, it tells others who and what you are. Focus is rather like a window into self. Focus is what you see, what you believe, what you learn, what you are.
How well you focus can also have the power to influence the thinking of others.
The theme for your journey and your capacity for focus is up to you.
Read about my book Rethinking Digital Photography.
Please have a look at some of my other posts here.
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