“Don’t shoot what it looks like, shoot what it feels like.” ~David Alan Harvey
This is a guiding principle in my approach to photography. It is a reminder to me to not always look for the most aesthetically pleasing scene to capture. I don’t necessarily want the most beautiful scene, I want to capture what it feels like in that moment.
Yes, I captured this image on a morning walk. I felt strong in this moment, and closed my eyes as I felt the morning sun shine on my face. I felt comforted by the fact I was moving my body. These emotions are what I actually captured.
When we moved from our previous home, I felt so torn. I loved this house, and the comfort that it brought our family. Each evening, I loved how the evening light poured through our bedroom windows. I smile when I look at this image – it brings me right back to the time and place that I captured it. Most importantly, I feel those emotions all over again. I am so proud of how far I have come.
I am a firm believer that when you shoot what it feels like, rather than what it looks like, there can never be a right or wrong answer to capturing what inspires you. Who can tell you that’s not what you felt in that moment? It goes beyond the surface level details, there is a story in each capture. One that is unique to you and only you.
Shooting what something feels like is the ability to capture the emotion of a scene, your mood at the moment, or the energy you pick up on. Let that personal connection guide your eye. This is your own unique way of seeing the world.
So the next time you look through your lens, I encourage you to capture what it feels like. It is so freeing to do so.
~Azzari