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I used to use Circular Quay in Sydney quite regularly, but never noticed the little dolphins in the railing by the ferry terminal. The first part of photographing the “unseen” is to see it! And we covered that to some extent in the last podcast.

If you’ve tried the exercises from the previous podcast, you may well have found that there are a lot of details in your everyday environment that you’ve previously overlooked. And, no doubt, some of them have a beauty all of their own.

This podcast is about finding the beauty and the story in everyday scenes. Be it on your way to work or school, or anywhere else you might go regularly.

The first thing to do is to see your environment with beginner's eyes. For one thing, it’s a great way to get to know your local environment, and I suggest that you extend that knowledge by thinking about what a tourist to your area might photograph.

Imagine you have to create a tourist brochure of your area. Which 5 photographs would create a compelling story of your area?

Practice looking for the beauty in your area. Here are 5 suggestions, but I’m sure that you can find more:

• While on your morning routine
• Taking a walk around your block
• Visiting a grocery store
• Visiting a waiting room (while being respectful of people’s privacy, of course)
• Shooting your room from different angles (try 5)

One challenge is to find 3 great compositions in your most boring room!

Reflect on how this made you feel.

And you can share your photographs on my Facebook page: Graham Elliott Photography.

It's time for another podcast...

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Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
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Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
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Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

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You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

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Have you ever walked past something beautiful without even noticing it?

If you have, you’re not alone, and this is a skill that separates great photographers from the people who take snapshots.

Great photographers really look and see what is there. And it goes beyond simply seeing something. They take it further and apply the important elements that make up a great photograph:

They’re looking at the light, perhaps how it changes, where it is coming from, lines, emotions and which compositions would bring out the most impactful image.

So does it really matter? In my opinion, it does. Because the more we can get into the habit of really seeing what is there, the more we will see when it matters, those once-in-a-lifetime experiences where the photographs are the only lasting record.

So, to build your observation muscles, I suggest you try the following exercise:

• Firstly, slow down.
• Look for the light; notice where it falls and how it changes.
• Take a deep breath and let go of distractions. Allow yourself to be fully in the environment and then look around.

One exercise you can do right now is to simply take a look around. Notice:

• One source of light
• One colour contrast
• One emotion on a person’s face.

Another exercise is to challenge yourself to notice “5 things today” and keep working those muscles!

And you can share your photographs on my Facebook page: Graham Elliott Photography.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.

Send us a text

I often recommend that you practice as often as possible to improve your photography. But what do you do when you hit a mental blank?

One idea I suggest in this podcast is to shoot a series of photos, or a collection. And, to make them more coherent, and to challenge yourself, I suggest you use a Creative Constraint.

So what is a Creative Constraint? Here are some examples:

Technical:

• Shoot only in black and white
• Use only one lens
• Limit yourself to manual focus (or full manual operation)
• Limit yourself to 36 exposures

Time-based:

• Shoot the same scene at the same time each day
• Only shoot for 15 minutes in one location.

Subject or theme:

• Only photograph shadows
• Only photograph one colour
• Only hands or feet

Locations:

• Inside your home
• Within 1km of your home
• Only through windows

If you would like to challenge yourself further, take the 14-day challenge.

It's time for another podcast...

Support the show

Go from "Auto" to Awesome photos in just one week (click here)!

Or, if you've been inspired to improve your photography, download my FREE guide to 10 ways to improve your photography today.
10 Simple Steps to Improve Your Photography

Support the show
Thank you for listening to my podcast. If you would like to subscribe you can do so here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1803730/support

Website
Please check out my website for the latest collections, photography tips and challenges, and more!

Contact Me
You can contact me directly at: graham@ge.photography

Coffee?

If you've had value from this podcast, please help me to continue with them. Most people don't, but if you would like to make a small contribution, how about a coffee? You can buy me a coffee here.

Please don't keep me a secret! Please share my podcast with anyone else who you think might be interested.

Thank you for listening.