Did you ever wonder why some people see beauty where others don't? Is it because others don't pay attention to details? Or are they simply not intending to see it? What is there in their minds when they pass by something that would make someone like me stop and go "Aww...." while taking out my camera or “Oh, noooo” if I don't happen to have it with me. My personal guess (and I secretly believe that it's correct :D) is that they don't know they can see it. If only we all knew our potential, how amazing our lives would be. And imagine how many more people would pass by a dry bush admiring the intricate curves of its branches.
Some people would call it "creativity" and say "I'm just not creative." I believe that photography, just like reading and writing, is a skill anyone can develop. Of course, a person whose eyes function properly, will see and, most often, appreciate obvious beauty around, like a picturesque landscape, fancy decorations, or vibrant colors of a pretty holiday mug.
However, will they feel something less obvious that requires a special light inside to draw them to the beauty of an object nobody even looks at? I want to think that beautiful things are there to make us think how to give them another life, to ignite our creativity, to inspire an artist within each of us. We all will certainly enjoy fascinating waterfalls and peaceful lakes the beauty of which is indisputable, but what about water drops in the back-light getting that special magical glow and sparkle, shiny colorful pebbles that everyone seems to be passing by without noticing, or tips of dry leaves curling in an unusual way (don't they look like blonde hair to you?)?
I would dare to say that noticing beauty in details is a matter of the reticular activating system. A classic example of the latter is when you buy a particular make of the car and suddenly start seeing it everywhere although you thought that it was quite rare before. Once you start thinking that seeing beauty in details is possible, you will find even a piece of shattered glass or a paper cup with coffee worth perpetuating. Then it's a matter of practice and technical skills – you will see only as much as you want to see. It's all about WANTING to find the beauty rather than convincing yourself that your brain is wired differently than that of a creative person.
You are here to find the beauty but to succeed in this, you need to remember that YOU are the beauty and YOU have the light within. There are no creative people – there are people who feed the fire within starting with lighting up tiny splinters and blowing on them. Sometimes tiny flames on the splinters go out and they have to try all over again. Some of them give up saying it's too hard or they're too young or too old. Others disregard the excuses no matter how valid they are and do not stop till tiny flames are confidently spreading all the way down the splinter and become strong enough to light up a huge log that eventually keeps the entire campfire burning.
P.S. Always remember to feed the fire with some hard work and perseverance, and it will inevitably turn into ever-burning and utterly magnificent :)
