HOW THE CAMERA SEES

THE SECRET
The secret of using the camera, is to keep the key elements of the subject as visually close in your mind to the actual subject tones as possible, by learning to "read"  the light and shadow areas of the subject from the position of the camera the way film will record it. NOT the way our human eye does with the brain and emotions attached - the way you think it might be.

 

However - to be creative, we need to approach the subject in a subjective manner where you question why you are taking the photograph and how you can best achieve this - but by contrast - learn to read the images you have taken in an objective manner, where you question what is actually in the print not what you think is on the print associated to your memory.
 

From an exhibition - Watch Who - what - where do you watch

When we substitute a single glass lens, the mechanics of the camera and a chemical emulsion or CCD, for the human eye there is a great difference. The camera can take the photograph in a fraction of a second or perhaps over several minutes. It is not capable of scanning the scene or remaining selectively on one area of what is in the frame the way the human eye does. The iris does not respond to light changes during the exposure or to the varying intensity of light on various parts of the subject. Consider that if the film is black & white, the sensitivity will not record colour and even the black and white values will not be relative to the brightness range as seen by the eye.

 

Unless we control the light onto the subject as we intend and use the aperture and shutter controls to produce the desired effect, the camera will record all information with impunity.  Nothing will be intensified nothing will be neglected. It is the photographers responsibility to notice the smallest details and control the scene as they require it for the photograph.

Because of the single lens of the camera, dimension will be lacking and, of course we can not hope to automatically capture the beauty, mood or aesthetic qualities that may have been observed in the original scene. These values and other desirable effects must be "created" by the photographer through their knowledge and skill.

With experience, it is possible to acquire what is known as a "camera eye" or " camera vision". This is when you have the ability to interpret a scene in terms of how it will appear on the film and adjust the situation before the exposure is made.