We all see images differently

Did you know that most people struggle with seeing colour correctly? In one test, two out of three people saw a difference between two colour samples, even though they were identical!

It turns out that we aren’t very good at remembering colour either. Another study shows that most people cannot correctly identify an iconic colour such as the Coca Cola red.

Maybe those photographers who spend hours managing their colour curves could be spending their time more productively…

Colour isn’t the only reason we all see images differently

Colour is probably the easiest element to measure scientifically. But there are many factors that influence how we see an image and how we interpret it. Our cultural background, our current environment and our individual feelings, memories and experiences will all have a significant influence on what we make of an image.

How can any of us possibly interpret an image in the same way as someone else?

It is not just about individuals seeing images differently. We will all see images in new ways at different times. How can I see an image in the same way as I saw it a few months ago? In that time so much will have changed in my life. I will have so many new memories and have had so many new experiences.

It’s the same when we look at what is around us

We all see subjects differently. We all look at unique details and viewpoints. Everyone interprets what they see before them in our own way. They all have something different to say.

That is the beauty of art and creativity. There is so much to be seen in every scene, in every object. There is no right or wrong. (Except, perhaps, in the closed minds of camera club judges!)

But do we try and find our unique way of seeing enough?

Several photography teachers and tour leaders have expressed their disappointment to me about the number of people they work with who want to be shown “the shot”. There are a growing number of photographic guidebooks that tell you where to go and exactly how to set up your camera so you can make a photograph that is pretty much the same as everybody else’s.

To me, that is a great shame. Surely the beauty of photography, or any other form of creativity, is to find one’s own way of expressing what we see and what we feel. But this takes time. Most people, myself included, are guilty of seeing something before us and quickly firing off images with excitement rather than thought.

Most people do not spend long enough with a subject

We should all be spending time, preferably without a camera, before we make images. We should pause and breathe during the image making process. And we should take a while to reflect when we have made our images.

Paul Sanders taught me to sit down and pause before I made an image. An exercise that has always stayed with me is to feel a location: to sit down with my eyes shut and take time to appreciate what I can touch, what I can hear and what I feel. Doing this has really helped with how I relate to subjects and with my image making.

When we do this, we start to make images with intent

I have written about the importance of creating images with intent before. Creating with a purpose in mind takes our creativity to a new level. It means we are making images that say something rather than just taking pretty pictures.

There is always a place for play and exploration. But this should free us up and show us how to make better images with intent.

Do we challenge our way of seeing enough?

Do we try and see things in other ways than those we are used to? Do we try and forge our own creative path? Or do we stick with what we know or try and make images in the style of other people?

What are we capable of creating if we really try?

PS If you would like to challenge your way of seeing, check out The Vision. This is a five-week online photography workshop run by Rob Knight and myself. It is a great way to challenge the way you make images and learn how to explore visually in new ways. 2024 sessions start on  14th April and 13th October.