What does it mean to notice?
Our one-day workshop focussed on the theme of attention explores photography as a practice of noticing rather than capturing. Participants are invited to slow down, observe carefully, and consider what happens before a photograph is made.
Through guided prompts, quiet field time, and group reflection, the workshop emphasizes patience, restraint, and learning to see without urgency. Participants are encouraged to make fewer photographs and spend more time with what is already present. This workshop is ideal for photographers seeking to reconnect with their practice, recalibrate their pace, or begin a new project with greater intention.
Please find a sample agenda for our one-day workshop based on the theme of noticing. Our schedule is subject to change based on location and theme of workshop requested.
Intent of the Day
To slow down photographic practice, deepen attention, and explore what happens before and after the act of photographing. The day emphasizes presence, restraint, and reflective editing as part of seeing.
SAMPLE ONE-DAY AGENDA
9:00–9:30 | Arrival & Orientation
- Welcome and introductions
- Setting shared intentions for the day
- Overview of the Field Notes approach
- Brief framing: Photography as a practice of noticing
Prompt introduced:
Before you make any photographs today, spend time noticing what holds your attention.
9:30–10:15 | Grounding & Seeing Without the Camera
- Short guided observation exercise (indoors or outdoors)
- Walking or sitting practice without cameras
- Writing a few lines in Field Notes journals
Focus:
Training attention before image-making begins.
10:15–12:00 | Field Session I — Slow Looking
Participants move quietly through the chosen area and are encouraged to walk slowly, stand still, make fewer photographs than feels comfortable. There is the optional constraint of using one focal length or focusing on one small area.
Facilitator role:
Light presence, no instruction during the field session.
12:00–1:00 | Lunch & Informal Conversation
Unstructured time where participants are invited to not review images yet and are encouraged to rest, walk or quiet reflection.
1:00–2:00 | Reflection & Writing
Return to the classroom or gathering space for guided writing prompts
- What did you notice before photographing?
- What surprised you?
- What did you choose not to photograph?
Emphasis:
Language helps articulate attention.
2:00–3:00 | Editing as Noticing
Introduction to editing as a continuation of attention where participants review images quietly on their own devices. Suggested editing prompts may include:
- Which images ask for more time?
- Which images feel unfinished?
- What images resist explanation?
Important framing:
Editing is not about selecting “the best” image — it’s about noticing patterns, questions, and restraint.
3:00–3:15 | Break
3:15–4:30 | Shared Viewing & Conversation
Participants may share 1–3 images or a written reflection of the day.
Group conversation focuses on:
- process
- decisions
- moments of hesitation
No critique language
No technical feedback unless explicitly requested.
4:30–5:00 | Integration & Closing
Final reflection prompt:
What do you want to carry forward from today?
Brief discussion on how to continue noticing beyond the workshop and closing circle.
“When you actively notice new things, that puts you in the present…As you're noticing new things, it's engaging, and it turns out…it's literally, not just figuratively, enlivening.”
