You might often wonder why the final image falls short of your expectations. The disconnect between what you saw and what your camera captured can be frustrating, even discouraging.
Coming to you from Shoot On Film -- by Ari Jaaksi, this insightful video explores why photographs rarely match your original perception. Jaaksi emphasizes that your brain experiences the world through multiple senses—sight, sound, smell, touch—creating a rich, multidimensional memory. Photos, however, are limited strictly to the visual sense, stripping away crucial context. For instance, your memory of a breezy boat ride includes sensations like the wind and sounds of water, none of which exist in the photograph itself. Recognizing this sensory gap can help you better evaluate your images and make more informed choices about what and how to photograph.
Jaaksi also discusses the biology of vision and its impact on photography. Human eyes focus intensely but narrowly, rapidly shifting between close-up details and distant scenes. Cameras, however, do not mimic this selective focus unless deliberately set. This biological fact explains why a compelling scene can appear cluttered or uninteresting once photographed. Understanding the narrow focus of human vision can guide you to intentionally direct the viewer's eye through photographic techniques like leading lines, selective depth of field, and purposeful cropping. This helps bridge the gap between your vision and the viewer’s perception.
Another critical aspect Jaaksi addresses is the role of familiarity. Humans instinctively respond more strongly to familiar images and scenarios. Jaaksi illustrates this with the example of recognizing similar cars after purchasing one yourself. This psychological tendency influences how others perceive your photographs. If your photo includes an object or scene unfamiliar to the viewer, you risk disengagement or confusion. Thus, consider carefully how to introduce unfamiliar elements or frame familiar experiences to effectively engage your audience.
To deepen your understanding, Jaaksi provides practical advice on bridging perception gaps in photography. Techniques include printing images to physically separate your emotional memories from the visual reality and seeking feedback from viewers unfamiliar with your experiences. Jaaksi also suggests revisiting images after significant time has passed, offering you a fresh, objective viewpoint. Intriguingly, Jaaksi concludes by exploring insights gained from artificial intelligence, specifically how creating AI prompts might refine your photographic intent. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Jaaksi.
