What is, seeing, and what is not

What is, seeing, and what is not

I know a builder who, in a previous life, won a contract to work on a tall building because he thought of using scaffolding hung from the top of the building, instead of built up from the ground. (Vertical) lateral thinking.

The ability to see clearly in a complex situation is valuable: you can identify what to worry about, what to control – and what you can let go of.

Aesthetically, seeing ‘clearly’ may mean being able to appreciate shapes without getting distracted by colour – and huts knowing that a monochrome image will work while colour will confuse the viewer.

Technically, it can be a question of realising that the shutter speed doesn’t matter if the main light source is an electronic flash with a duration of 1/1000 second. And that if the ambient light increases, that will change…

Or it might be understanding that seeking perfection is relative – how sharp can something look on a screen less than 2,000 pixels wide? How often do you print anything to A3+ (mind you, a sharp print that size is awesome to view).

I have a memory of a few years ago when a camera shop assistant pointed out that owners of EOS 5D SR bodies needed Sigma lenses to exploit their sensors. I wonder how many owners know that, or care?

So – have you got any planks in your eye, to use a slightly odd phrase from the King James Bible? What are you viewing through conventional lenses, where are you missing the point?

And if you have any thoughts on where I might be missing it, please let me know…