Isolation Photography Exercises No. 1 – Limited Space

Touching the Light

The Limited Space (Twenty) Assignment

So, just at the moment, in these times of social isolation, going out to your favoured locations with a camera is difficult if not impossible. Here’s an assignment that is a regular feature of my “Joy of Seeing” photography workshops.  It might be just the thing to kickstart not only a bit of fun photography in these limiting times, but also it might start you off on a journey of rediscovery, finding the magic in the mundane and familiar environment of home.  It’s a regular for me on my Project Infinity journey.

This assignment is primarily an exercise in seeing, but most importantly, in letting go of expectations as to what to photograph.  The example above was made in my bathroom yesterday in ten minutes.

Practice

Once a week, choose a space at random. It could be a place you like to be or a place that you visit often but have never been moved to photograph. It’s important not to give too much prior thought – the place where you’re standing when you first think of the idea is often good and challenging.

Then make twenty images, moving no more than one pace in any direction.

Limit the time to ten minutes. Twelve images is easy(ish); twenty is not.

Tips

1. Be present with no distractions. Wherever it is, there you are. Take time to be in that space, to be there totally. Bring yourself into a state of relaxed attentiveness.
2. See qualities and raw visual elements – e.g. contrasts, colours, lines, textures, shapes, forms et al.  Take the labels away; don’t see things.
3. Accept and receive what comes to you; don’t prejudge …
4. Compose your images with care. Make them interesting and creative; it’s not just pressing a button.
5. Use a prime lens or keep your zoom focal length unchanged. This will encourage you to see closely and take ‘views’ out of the possibilities to an extent.
6. Don’t judge the images hastily afterwards. Take your time to see each one. Ask yourself again ‘what stopped you?’ Keep the images that match your original perceptions and put the others in a learning folder.

Some Ideas for Places

• On the journey between your bed and the bathroom;
• In a broom cupboard or greenhouse or corner of the garden patio;
• Standing at the kitchen sink or bathroom basin;
• Sitting at your desk;
• Randomly, by throwing a hoop in the garden and standing where it lands, or walking a number of paces in any direction;

And later, when things are normal:

• Sitting on a bus;
• Sitting on a park bench or underneath a tree;
• A deserted backstreet, preferably as dull as you can find … ;

A limited space ‘twenty’ assignment on a wet day in Rieux Volvestre, France.

A limited space ‘twenty’ assignment in a deserted and grey backstreet in St. Lizier, France.

Background Purpose

All too often in photography we limit our seeing by creating purpose and expectation. When we set a specific purpose then we focus on that purpose to the exclusion of other possibilities. And when we have expectations, we set ourselves up for disappointment.

Whilst we are learning to expand our seeing, it is important to nurture the idea that there is much to be seen wherever we are, right now, in whatever light, whatever there is.

Familiar places and scenes are especially important because we pay the least attention to them. And, therefore, paradoxically, they are the least familiar.  When we can make images by the kitchen sink, then anything is possible, anywhere. Then there is no such thing as poor light or a dull place. We become more attuned to seeing in any situation and we discover extraordinary images everywhere.  There is interest and fascination all around us.

Seeing needs practice, practice, practice. Like hitting cricket balls, the more we do it, the easier and better it gets …

… Ken
March 2020

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