Take your artist eye for a walk and capture what you see!
Photography, believe it or not, has been a controversial art form. Like all media, photography can comment on other art or create something entirely new.
Photography requires mindfulness and skill of the camera.
How can you walk around and see the world like Vivian Maier?
How can you show you - your authentic experience in the world through photography?
Before You Begin:
Remember that art is ish, it's human, and whatever comes from you is what it's meant to be. There's no such thing as "good" or "bad," "right" or "wrong" in art, so get making!
When The Piece Feels Finished:
While art is never finished (it's alive and living!), share your art when you feel that it is grounded and whole - when you feel you have given it your full attention and care. You can share your art by hanging it on a wall in your house, posting it on-line, or mailing it to someone you love.
Steps for Walking Like A Photographer:
1. Yell: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Make Art!" (This transitions your brain; there's research about this!)
2. Decide what you will look for on your walk. (Try choosing one purpose for each walk; this will help create a container for your creativity.)
Explore moments unfolding around you as well as Elements of Art and Principles of Design:
3. As you walk, take pictures that connect to your chosen purpose. Don't worry about the photographs being "good." Art takes process and practice. Ask any photographer, especially the famous ones: the more you practice, the stronger your photographs will get. Henri Cartier-Bresson says that the first 10,000 photographs are your "worst," so get walking and clicking!
4. When you feel finished with your walk - you feel grounded and whole in your art making, and have given the process your attention and care, see what you can notice in your pictures:
Can you notice any repeating ideas? (I notice all of my pictures incorporate line with texture. I also notice that all of my pictures have hard and soft lines.)
What differences do you notice in your photographs? (I notice that they were taken in different light. I notice that two were taken outside and one was taken inside.)
What do these images remind you of? (These images remind me of being on an easter egg treasure hunt. They also remind me of scientists finding new ideas.)
How might this art piece live in the world? (I could share these pictures with my friends through email. I could turn these pictures from 2D into 3D.)
5. Share your favorite photograph(s) by emailing them to a friend, posting them on-line, printing them out and/or creating a meta art piece.
6. Notice your state-of-being: how do you feel? How can you describe your state-of-being?
7. Repeat the process with a different purpose and create a series.
And, voilà: you've photographed as an artist!