When we thing we’re seeing something, we are often just looking rather casually. When we look at something, we often just take a quick glance and then automatically recognize the object using experience and knowledge.
For example, when we see (and recognize) a car at a glance, we don’t always really “see” it properly. That’s why casual witnesses can say they “saw” a car, but find it difficult to provide any details; even fundamental things like colour. That’s also why we often can’t find things that are hiding in plain sight.
The eyes cover a very wide (almost 180°) panorama, but the brain focuses attention on a very small area when we watch something. This one of the reasons why distracting backgrounds and generally confusing composition creeps into photographs. The brain focuses attention on subject, but the camera will of course pick up other things in the full field of view.
Cameras have a limited dynamic range when compared with the human eye. The camera will capture very different amounts detail in light and dark parts of the image than the eye. Light and shadow are fundamental compositional tools. We can recognize when the camera is going to see something as a solid dark shadow and use it as a compositional element in a photograph.
Seeing Exercises
The best thing to do is to practice. But it’s also worth trying to find out what it feels like to really see.
- When out walking towards something, fix the eyes forward. Pick something off to the side and try to see detail in it using only peripheral vision. When you get close to the subject, look properly and lots of details should pop out.
- Look around a room and spend a few minutes naming things the wrong thing. Stop, then look properly at these same things.