Contemplative Photography

Learning to see and create your vision

Learning to see is more than a skill—it’s a way of being present. Each of us experiences the world through our own emotions, memories, and rhythms, and how we see changes from moment to moment.

This class invites you to slow down, look deeply, and truly see the world around you. Through examples, guided exercises, and discussions, you’ll learn to use the elements of design to create images that reflect your unique creative voice.

The Miksang tradition (Tibetan for “good eye”) treats photography as a contemplative discipline rooted in Shambhala Buddhism — the goal is direct perception, free of conceptual overlay. The term Contemplative Photography was likely coined by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who used photography as a mindfulness tool.

 Recently, a student and I set out to take sunset photos over Point Reyes on Mt Tamalpais’ Ridgecrest Blvd. As the sun set I turned to the right and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

The goal is always to slow down, stop, take a couple of seconds, let the image find you and then use the your craft skills to make the image real. The more traditional approach is that the act of creating the photograph is an afterthought, this approach is that mindfulness is the portal to creating great photographs.