Explore. Experience. Learn. 

 

 

“Stop taking pictures, start making photographs” -Ken Lee

 

Winter Fenceline

Art of Seeing Photography Adventures was born because I love helping others grow as photographers as much as I enjoy making my own images. Maybe the most important lesson I've learned in thirty-some years of chasing the photography muse is that Photography is a Whole Brain Activity, meaning that there are distinct Craft and Creative aspects to the image-making process, but each requires a completely different approach to master.  I always address both in my workshops.

Seeing is a Skill
Mastering gear and technique is critical to transforming your vision into finished photographs.  I speak geek and I'm happy to dive into the details of exposure, dynamic range, critical focus, night photography and post processing with you.  But more often, it's what and how we choose to photograph something that determines the true impact of an image. "There’s nothing worse than a sharp picture of a fuzzy concept,” is the way the master himself, Ansel Adams, put it. He was talking about what some call the Photographer's Eye. I call it the Art of Seeing.  Unfortunately, aspiring photographers are usually left to unravel this mystery on their own. From personal experience, I know that the Photographer's Eye is a skill that anyone can learn and strengthen with practice.  I cover lots of practical tips to help you sharpen your creative vision - my workshops are like photography bootcamps where you build the technical and creative  'muscles' to create stronger images. 

“...my workshops are like photography bootcamps where you build the technical and creative 'muscles' to create stronger images.”

One on One Learning
Your desire to learn and improve your photography is more important than your level of experience. Everyone sees and learns differently. Some are very technically oriented, others more vision driven. The best way I've found  to handle varying levels of experience and photographic styles is to schedule lots of time for individual coaching. Whenever possible I also use lectures, demonstrations, examples and feedback to communicate key concepts. 

Photography Focused Adventures
I work hard to create unique, photography-centric, beyond-the-beaten-path adventures. Some icons like the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu are, well, just too iconic to pass up. We pay proper homage to the 'must-sees,' but we always venture off the tourist trail to experience local life on a more authentic level. This is usually where the most impactful images of a trip are made. Finally, inspiration is important. You should be passionate about your passion. And there's no better way to get inspired and focus on your photography than to immerse yourself in a place  where everything is new to your eyes and you are free from distractions.   In other words, you don't have to go to amazing places to learn how to See, but it's more fun that way ;-).

Thanks for reading. Drop me a note if you have any questions or let’s schedule a call if you prefer. I look forward to sharing an amazing photography adventure with you someday.

Ken Lee