The Practice of Contemplative Photography: Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes

by Andy Karr, Michael Wood

This book teaches us how to fully connect with the visual richness of our ordinary, daily experience. Photography is not just a mechanical process; it requires learning how to see. As you develop your ability to look and see, you will open, more and more, to the natural inspiration of your surroundings.

Filled with practical exercises, photographic assignments, and techniques for working with texture, light, and color, this book offers a system of training that draws on both Buddhist mindfulness practice and the insights of master photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Genres: Photography, Art, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Zen, Art and Photography

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2011

About the author

ANDY KARR is a teacher, author, and photographer who offers profound and penetrating insights into dharma and mind. He trained at the San Francisco Zen Center under Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, and under Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. Andy co-founded the first Shambhala Centre in France and taught regularly in Paris and other European dharma centers for ten years.

After Trungpa Rinpoche passed away in 1987, Andy and his family moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1993 he began studying Mahamudra, and the stages of view and meditation, with Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. He later became a senior teacher in his sangha.

In the late 1990s, and early aughts, Andy studied contemplative photography with Michael Wood. This was an opportunity to bring together the Dharma Art teachings of Trungpa Rinpoche, the Mahamudra teachings of Khenpo Rinpoche, and Michael’s insights into photography as a contemplative practice.

Andy’s first book, Contemplating Reality, is a series of investigations into the nature of mind and the phenomenal world. Andy’s second book, written with Michael Wood, The Practice of Contemplative Photography: Seeing the World with Fresh Eyes, teaches the most essential photographic skill—clear seeing. His next book, Into the Mirror: A Buddhist Journey through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality, shows how Mahayana teachings can meet modernity, without losing their profundity. The book is due out in the Spring of 2023.

Nowadays, Andy mainly teaches Mahayana view and meditation, and Mahamudra. To learn more about Andy’s work, go to www.andykarrauthor.com.

Reviews

[Bill Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book on contemplative photography. It gave me a real sense of how to engage what I'm seeing. Since I'm a nature photographer, this book has launched me into a much deeper worldview of engaging nature and to develop my own body of work. My only problem with their way of doing things is that they tend to be purists and reject the idea of post processing. In doing so, they seem to forget that the dynamic range of the human eye is greater than that of a camera. To me some post processing may be necessary to reflect the real perception one had when the image was captured.

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a great many beautiful photographs in this book. Photos that are austere, elegant, cool, detached and mostly lifeless. The photos celebrate a kind of elegant starkness that seeks to divert attention from the messy realities of life. Even those with the zen-mandated element of nature - the single leaf on the auto body, the washed-out sky with abstract looking tree branches in the corners, the reflecting pond with a single hanging branch reflected perfectly - seem poised, artificial, repulsive and monstrous in their detachment.

This is photographic art, or artistic photography, but not art that can inspire change or force us to focus on what is important or necessary. It is art that seeks the opposite: to deny our circumstances, to be, not timeless, but apart from time.

I will state my bias, if it is not already apparent: I do not like art that refuses to engage with the world, with the social world, and the many injustices and oppressions that exist there. Cold-blooded imagery, no matter how well it is created, does nothing for me.

Another reviewer found the approach and the exercises useful. I do hope others find them so, as well, and that they can combine the techniques (or 'the way of seeing') with a deeper vision, one that can illuminate our lives.

[JW · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope, didn't work for me. If you strip out the Zen angle and all the internalizing then what I feel I’m left with is this: Photograph what catches your eye without overanalyzing it. Now, I’m sure I’m oversimplifying it but that’s kind of where it left me. And, that’s what I feel I do when I’m out wandering the city. It’s not how I approach landscape photography but I do like it for urban work. Colors, textures, color contrast, shape and angles are all what attract me in the urban setting. So, though the book had an initial philosophical tug I’m putting it in the donation pile and trusting my instincts with regard to ‘seeing.’

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much ado about nothing, could have been 1/4 the length.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for taking one out of their comfort zones. Seeing and Perceiving! Practice and review! Patience!

I had the privilege of reading this book while on retreat at a monastery, which was the perfect setting for much of what the authors guides in the reader. There was a possible exception of the "color" exercise, when I walked around town while taking post cards to the post office. ;-) The monastery was distinctly subtle in expression with colors.

Exercises with texture and light were profoundly powerful in this setting, however. Taking the time to visit and revisit spaces, surfaces, and conditions was both enriching for receiving of pictures (to borrow a phrase from another author) and renewing of spirit!

The exercises and examples are profoundly inspiring, humbling, and perception changing. Take a look at this book, but give it the time and space which benefits anything of contemplation!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young person, I developed a belief that artistic quality was directly connected to technical precision. Somehow this belief persisted as I began my training as a technical artist in 3D production, which led to a completely baseless disdain for photography. Drawing, painting, 3D, all these media forced an artist to create an entire world. But a photographer only had to push a button, and they had a finished piece. It seemed to me that the sole art of a photographer was to carefully assemble everything within the viewfinder. I got to where I wouldn't even bring a camera on vacations because I knew if I started using it, I'd spend more time crafting compositions than actually enjoying my vacation.

Last year, an extremely talented coworker was showing me his portfolio of photography. I explained to him my misgivings about the medium, and something he said really stuck with me: becoming a photographer doesn't cause you to miss out on life, it helps you to see life more richly, even away from the camera. I had heard about The Art of Complemplative Photography in Tricycle magazine, so after hearing my colleague's defense, I decided it was time to rethink my preconceptions.

Now having taken the time to really explore the lessons of this book, I'm happy to say that I'm a changed man. At a base level, I've learned that the true artistry of photography is only 5% what you do behind the camera. The rest is developing the ability to really see. Right from the beginning, the authors tell you to stop thinking about framing, composition, theory, and just look at the world around you. It's only when you can put all those mental constructions aside that you can find actual perception. Photography isn't about being a big game hunter, finding the most dramatic subjects and arranging them precisely in your viewfinder. It's about being open to the visual world unfolding in front of you, and then recording an image when you receive a true flash of perception.

This book was appealing to me not only artistically, but also intellectually. The particular method of photography they present is its own kind of meditation. The authors explain their technique in a very clear and understandable way, beginning with just looking at color, and moving to texture, space, light, etc. The example photography included is beautiful and inspiring.

I really can't recommend this book highly enough, it completely changed my notion of what photography is. It's helped me to understand what joy there is to be had in an art form I had unfairly discounted. I'm still very much a novice, but some of the photographs I have taken while studying this book can be seen here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28868727@N08/sets/

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars/Non-Fiction; Photography
*Highly recommended*

Walk down any photography section in either your local bookstore or library and you are sure to be inundated with books about the technical aspects of photography. You will find books on posing your subjects, composing your shots and how to manipulate them in post production with the latest software. It is no secret that knowing the ins and outs of these things will help you produce great 'technically' correct images. But what about the all-important subject?

In this comprehensive guide, you will learn that visual imagery is not the same as seeing. With complete explanations, colorful images and various 'assignments', you will begin the process of 'seeing' the world in its unfiltered form.

This book is perfect for any photographer, beginner to intermediate, who is seeking to open their minds creatively. Given the opportunity to slow down, to clear your mind of pre-conceived ideas and to be 'in the moment', you will learn to recognize those brief seconds that grab your attention and hold it there until your shutter clicks.

Before you invest in another camera, lens or other piece of equipment, you need to read this!

Favorite quote from the book: "Creativity is something to be uncovered, not something to be wished for."

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has strong religious connotations from the beginning. A lot of it talks about being in a meditative state. I liked the photographs shown in the book but I was wishing for more than just "being present". The book is still helpful in providing exercises and tips for you to attain the methodology it describes however I wouldn't only rely on these techniques.

I do appreciate the message that it's important to take the photographs for yourself and not thinking about an audience. For a hobbyist, thanks okay or a creative, that's okay however for photographers with clients, it may be the best approach.

[Nikko · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who shoots both large format, which requires a lot of visualization when capturing an image, and other formats from 35mm to iphone, I really appreciated this book - it is such a different way of relating to one's environment. Often photography gives me an excuse to go out and be in different and beautiful place and after going through this book, I feel like I relate to the environment I am shooting in in a different way. It is a must have book for any photographer.

Note, I am affiliated with Shambhala Publications but this an objective and heartfelt review.

[Hapzydeco · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title implies, Karr and Wood, acting as your Buddhist muses, provide the you, the photographer, with positive ways to portray your images.

[Janet Barclay · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I discovered this book, I thought it was just what I needed to get me out of my creative slump, and it was, to a certain extent. There is a lot about being in the moment (which I'm striving to do) and much of what Karr says reminds me of what I learned in yoga class (if thoughts come, acknowledge them and let them go), but I did get tired of reading these reminders after a while, and some of the material is way too philosophical for me. I actually went from "I need to buy my own copy of this book" (I borrowed it from the library) to almost not finishing it.

It also bothered me that Karr specifically said this isn't a book about the technical aspects of photography, yet he felt the need to explain - not once but twice - about how aperture, shutter speed and ISO affect the way your photo turns out.

The example photos were wonderful, not unlike some I've taken myself, and a good reminder to create art instead of just documenting what we see.

[Bryan Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photographers Andy Karr and Michael Wood do a reasonably good job of merging the art of photography with Zen meditative practice. The idea here is to ground perceptions in the moment, stripping them of personal baggage, and then recording them with a camera. Some of the exercises make more sense than others, and some of the example photos don’t appear to be following the rules (looking posed and/or edited for conventional aesthetics). Still, the techniques suggested by the authors are good for both photographers looking for a more mindful approach and for Zen-savvy folk who want to add photography to their practice.

[Rebekah Younger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and beautiful introduction to contemplative photography. I use the exercises from this book when I teach contemplative photography and they are powerful tools for awakening the eye of the photographer to see beyond their preconceived notions and see things as they truly are.

[Margaryta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is for a particular type of reader. I am clearly not that reader. I did not have much patience for these exercises, which frustrated me more than they reinforced the ideas that Karr tries to convey.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemplative photography book

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geweldig boek voor diegene die meer willen weten over contemplatieve fotografie maar vooral hoe je je daarin praktisch kunt ontwikkelen.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely niche, to be sure, but spoke to my mindful, photography-loving heart.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

One doesn't have to have a special camera, nor be a professional photographer. One does have to see. The idea proposed here is that we look and not excite ourselves with the notion of capture, but be still enough to recognize what is ready to be captured. Laid out in a series of exercises, this book leads one through ways of seeing. An exercise is suggested, then the authors or their students present their photos as examples of the exercise completed. The author stresses that these photos not be modified or arranged or designed--that their freshness is dependent upon lack of contrivance.

A calm descends midway through the book, when we realize that there are an infinite number of perceptions to be captured. One just has to be still enough to see. The authors kindly guide us through the means by which we can make our equipment match our perception by our understanding the technical requirements of our camera. Most importantly we recognize that we all can see, if only we would.

[David Ranney · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Technique is important only insofar as you must master it in order to communicate what you see . . . In any case, people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing."

A semi-useful book littered with Buddhist platitudes and spattered with relevant exercises in the art of "seeing." I actually agree with the general philosophy; if you walk around for twenty minutes, there are at least a hundred interesting photo opportunities that will largely go unseen. The reason? We are forever conceptualizing our surroundings instead of perceiving things as they are.

The solution? Slow down, shed your preoccupation with past and future, and live in the present. The book does contain useful exercises for doing just that, though the greatest advice is to turn off the mind and trust your senses.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teaches you, (as the seer/photographer), to slow down, to be mindful of the moment of seeing something.
Even seeing something that could be photographed is as good a moment as actually taking the photo. There is no need to rush, to go to faraway places to get good photos. Moments of beauty are everywhere around you wherever you are.
It is the 'seeing' of that perception, that moment in time, and taking the photo of that thing with no extraneous cropping, composing or fiddling with camera controls that contemplative photography is about.
The flash of perception that the eye sees before the brain thinks 'how can I, how do I' etc etc.
A good read for the person with a camera who is feeling that everything has been photographed before and what is the need to photograph anything anymore.

[Ron Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I lost my Muse (in several ways) a while ago, and I would like to get it back. A book really isn't the way, although it does offer some help. This book is essentially a print version of the Miksang contemplative photography classes I took about 10-12 years ago, when I was active in Shambhala Buddhism. It didn't really add anything to my knowledge base, but it is a good introduction for those who haven't had any instruction in contemplative photography. The exercises in the book could be helpful, especially for those of us whose imagination needs a little prodding; I might go through the book again and work on some of them.

But the best way to do contemplative photography is just to be awake and aware and take pictures! That's what I need to do.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I love the idea behind the book, I was slightly annoyed by the ever repeating notions and the somewhat pretentious writing style.
Even though the ideas behind contemplative photography are rooted in Buddhism and have a slight esoteric touch, I felt that the authors were a little bit judgmental when it came to „conventional“ photography styles.
Still some wonderful photographs and nice assignment ideas made up for the flaws of the book.

[Jen Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent exercises to really slow down and wait for a flash of perception to start photographing. Would read this book again and again and do the practice over and over because it would be different every time.

[Deigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really the practice of mindful awareness - sort of a Zen thing - applied to photography. It does offer some new and interesting ways of looking but left me a little cold.

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reference book to which I will return over and over again.

[Caelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the epilogue to this book and the exercises. Great to read abt connections between Buddhist practice and photography.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing and pictures were both a bit flat, but they did get their point across,a different way to "see". The exercises are actually fun to try out, like a treasure hunt.

[Alan Grodin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book and it helped me define my style of photography. I have since taken a workshop with the author and it was awesome. I heartily reccomend the book

N

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Completely changed the way I practice photography.

[Burning Candle]

This book is more helpful to me. I am doing the research in the contemplative photography.