This week’s A Photo Study is inspired by the writings of A Karr and M Wood (The Practice of Contemplative Photography), “Photographing color gives us something to look for that will synchronize [cause or occur to operate at the same time] eye and mind.”

Photographing color is the first of their contemplative photography assignments in which the photographer is encouraged to open herself to color:

labeling the color “red”

• keep a narrow focus on color
• see colors absent of identifying them as “red”  “yellow” “blue” “purple”, etc.
• look at color in a simple and open way
• look at color out of context…free from association, memories, reference points, likes, or dislikes
• look at billboards as color and form rather than words and messages
• see the redness of red, the blueness of blue without superimposing anything on them at all.
• when stopped by a flash of color, let you mind stop – physically stop and spend 1/2 minute looking at the color
• contemplate what stopped you
• raise your camera and look at your perception through the view finder or the camera’s screen.  Ask yourself, “is this what stopped me?”
• make any adjustments to focus, exposure, and depth of field
• release the shutter
• enjoy yourself

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As always, I’m looking forward to reading your comments and seeing what colors touched your awareness.  Let’s tag with aphotostudy.