Originally Posted by
ricktas
Wonderful thread discussion topic.
Cause I got into photography when I was quite young, I had to really think about this one. I cannot recall a time when I did not look at things the way a photographer would. But my grandfather also taught me (along with the basics of photography) that I should stop and smell the roses, so he would take me out to photograph something, but both before and after we took photos he would make me stand there and talk to him about what we were looking at. He always said it was important to enjoy the experience, soak in the fresh air, the sounds, the smells of a place just as much as it was about what we looked at.
So yes we see the world differently, but for me, I also smell and hear it too. I am amazed at how many 'tourists' go somewhere, pull up, get out. take photos and drive off. If you say something like 'isn't it a great morning' you will often get a 'yes it is' but if you say 'listen to the birds this morning' or 'how wonderful and fresh does the air smell in this rainforrest' you often get looked at like you are slightly odd.
People have lost the ability to experience our world with all their senses. I think photographers tend to be more in tune with all our senses than many others. We listen (for birds and animals) we see what is in front of us, we smell the environment. Sometimes we taste the water in the fresh mountain stream..while someone nearby drinks from a plastic bottle.
Differently yes..but better!