When we are children we think primarily in pictures, not in words. As we get older, we tend to rule out visual exploration and put word labels on things instead. In effect, we know the labels on the bottles, but rarely taste the wine.
If you look at a fern and merely say, "Yes, that's a fern," you may not be seeing past the old familiar label of its name. But if you really "see" a fern, you will notice triangularity, individual leaf fibers, various shades of green, its sway and dance before the wind. You will have found dimensions and hidden beauty not included in the usual definition of a fern, while learning for yourself the difference between looking and seeing.
A camera is merely a device which can interpret what you see if you know how to control its functions.
When I go out with my camera, I become that child again and think in images, and immerse myself in nature's bounty.
