The problem with most artists is not their ability to draw, but their ability to “really” see what they are drawing. My father told me this while we studied a painting at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art when I was a young teenager. My father, a caricature artist, could see quite well. I applied his enlightening message to my photography and it was good.

LATENT (we can use this like an acronym to help us remember a list of tips for our artistic vision)

adjective

(of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden; concealed : discovering her latent talent for diplomacy : a latent image (of light) that has struck a piece of film but has yet to be developed; the latent image.

You can use this word, “LATENT,” as an acronym to remember the things that will help you “really” see what you are looking at. It’s great for art and photography. There is a bonus, included, in this methodology. It’s great in life as well.

Light – Learn to see the darkest and lightest tones in a scene. Even study the mid-tones.

Angle – Shoot high, you shoot low, you shoot everywhere you go. Shoot in close, from a distant, overall shots and come in real tight for the details.

Time – Capturing the moment is a full time job. Movement, frozen action, a day in the life – catch it all.

Environment - Be aware of the entire scene, the entity, ecosystem, colors, temperature. You might need to meditate on it all to know it all.

Nature – Become at one with the reality of the situation and/or re-interpret it as an impressionist would interpret their work of art with their painting techniques or as an author would with the pen or an actor or musician with their performance.

Technique – Know your equipment and be able to make instance technical decisions. This is NOT the time to refer to the manual on how to do this or that with your gear.

Task – If this were an assignment you would be required to deliver the goods. Most work is to some degree an assignment of sorts. So make sure you get what you are supposed to get, plus the other stuff that feels good to you.

Tale – Capturing the story, expressions, feelings and mood are yours to document. Your photograph tells a story and that “tale” is like a book, a film, a speech, a song. A still photo, like a painting is one of the rare things that allow you to tell an entire story on one page. Think about a war… that unfortunate reality that our world has engaged in throughout history is told in countless books, films and more. Think about the photograph of the American flag be posted in the famous Iwa Jima photograph. Or three year old John Kennedy, Jr. saluting his father’s casket. These are powerful tales, told without words.

Talent – This is what makes us each of us unique. How many times can you make a movie or write a book about two people who meet, fall in love, have a problem, become separated, overcome impossible odds and end up living happily ever after? Yet, these stories never stop coming to us and they never will because this is the human condition and each of us has the ability to demonstrate this in the way we use our cameras and capture what it is that “we” are seeing.

Transformation – You are turning a three-dimensional, emotionally laden world of life and death, pain and passion, beauty and grotesque, godly and perverse, innocent and sinful situations into a one-view story. Your task is very daunting, but let this be not a challenge of your stamina causing you to feel defeat before you clean your lens. Let it be an opportunity to rise above the tensions of hardship and provide you with that canvas to paint your perfect delivery through your creative process.

Truth – Often people look at a photograph of themselves and say, “Oh, I hate how I look.” Well, get used to it, the camera doesn’t lie. We can alter the truth with a variety of techniques in pre and post production. For the most part, the camera doesn’t lie so don’t run from the truth, find it, embrace it and use it to your advantage. Asking a subject to, “say cheese” is not the truth. Capturing a grimace or a stern expression might have a much better chance of a viewer saying, “oh my goodness is that Uncle Henry or what?” Capturing the real Uncle Henry is a true memory that will be cherished. Leave the “say cheese” snapshots for all those other point and shoot relatives that aren’t taking my course.

Transition – Your ability to change reality into a historical record that outlives all the boundaries of human existence is a gift of this craft. Use it with joy.

John Lennon once told my (musician) buddy named Dan, “You know, all musicians are my friend.” So, I’ll plagiarize that talented artist of our modern musical heritage and say, “All photographers are my friend.” (except for this one photographer who wasn’t very likable when I was shooting this star-studded event at the Bel Air Hotel — so he was just an acquaintance!)