Ways of looking
Following a line of light
An exercise in noticing the edge before trying to see the whole.
Begin at an edge
Before looking at the entire dune field, follow one bright ridge from left to right.
Where does it fade? Where does another ridge interrupt it? How does the shadow beneath it change the shape you think you are seeing?
The Great Sand Dunes photograph places smooth sand in front of the mountain landscape of Colorado's San Luis Valley. The contrast offers a simple exercise in looking.
Three short passes
- Look only at the brightest parts of the image.
- Look only at the darkest parts.
- Look at the boundary between them.
The third pass often feels the most revealing. A line can suggest a slope more clearly than a broad area of color.
Take the exercise elsewhere
The same exercise works with a shoreline, the edge of a cloud, or a window's shadow on a wall.
Curiosity does not need a remarkable destination. It needs something to notice and a little room to follow it.
Continue with the Great Sand Dunes entry.