What You Don't Like

Believe it or not, photographing what you don’t like will sharpen your powers of observation, as well as your ability to articulate your observations through photography. Being clear about what displeases you is equally as important to becoming clear about what pleases you. So today, look for things you don’t like, whatever they may be. Keep your sharp and discriminating eye open. When you pick up your phone and start shooting, you might be surprised at how much there is out there that you dislike. Illustrate those things as vividly as possible, whatever they may be. Perhaps you’ll choose to spend your practice shooting a single dislike.

Say it’s graffiti, it can make you so angry. Perhaps, litter is a pet peeve of yours, food and paper strewn about by people for whom the whole world is there garbage can. Make pictures that show it. In some cases, as in litter, shooting to get the whole scene tells a strong story. Then of course, move in close to some good examples. The more you vivid a picture or group of pictures, the better. If a single subject in your sometimes-unconscious list of dislikes doesn’t come to mind, take a ten-minute walk to look for and shoot whatever you see that offends you. It might be best for you to leave of your own environment, unless your workplace or home has enough things that annoy you to spend your full ten minutes there. You may feel a little like Oscar the Grouch, but it’s fun.