Photography is art not tech stuff

Hi,
Today I read Digital Life's toolbox section today and, its a...hmmm...a joke. Here's the heading"New to digital snaps? Start here" I laughed at it like...when did photography start with setting your camera???? And then, I felt sad for those who read and believed it. So I decided I should make this post. I'm gonna safe people from the despicable Digital Life and its writer.
(Not sure if it's writer's fault. It might be forced out of him, John Tan. If he is really a good photographer and qualified enough to have a column in Digital Life, he would jolly well know photography dosen't start with setting your camera)

In my eyes, photography is art. Its never about a camera, its settings blah, blah, blah or what-so-ever. Its about seeing, spoting then shooting. Camera can always come last. Settings can always come last. What is the most important is seeing.

So you might ask me, how to see. Its simple. Just see. As you are walking down that alley, look at the objects, look at the walls, the lighting, the sun or moon, look at everything and think about it. Think about its significance, think about its life, its purpose. Do this, do this everywhere. If you are not so free like me, do it when you are free. I do it during recess, on the bus home, walking home from the busstop... Never stop seeing.

When you have done it for a long time perhaps a few weeks or even months, start looking at things from different perspective. Look at it from the bottom, top, side or any possible direction. This could be done quite fast. After this, close one side of your eye and see. Find the best perspective with one eye closed (this is the only way a camera see. Humans have two eyes, one left one right, we see things in 3D. But cameras only have one lens, they don't see as humans do).

You will soon find yourself, overwhelmed by the amount of beautiful things around you that you have never realised.

Next, its is spotting. Spot compositions, spot the scenes you have thought over while you were seeing. Be inspired and have a vague imagination how you would like the scene to appear on a camera screen. Do it, do it for very long. Perhaps a few weeks. When you have mastered it, you are ready to pick up a camera.

Now, then its the time you pick up a camera to shoot and record your compositions frame by frame.(refer to my post on picking a camera) You will soon realise that your pictures would stand out from your peers. From here on, embark on the exploration of the world, see the wonderful things and shoot it.

Tyy