Andrew Wetzel Photography

13/09/2026

https://readframes.com/korny-and-me-by-morena-tomicic-zufic/

This photograph came about completely spontaneously, in my own backyard. There was no detailed plan, no prepared concept, and no attempt to create something perfect. The idea appeared suddenly…

12/09/2026

This morning’s sunrise photography took me to **Blue Bay, NSW, just south of The Entrance**, where there was a great turnout from the **Social Sunrise Photography Crew**.

This morning I continued practising what I’ve been learning from *Photography and the Art of Seeing*. These images may not necessarily follow the traditional rules of composition—and that’s part of the experiment.

I was deliberately looking beyond the obvious, exploring **colour, shapes, patterns, relationships and the way elements interact within the frame**.

I’m finding that these exercises are helping me slow down and really *see* rather than simply take photographs. The more time we spend practising these ways of seeing, the more we develop a foundation for finding inspiration and creating images that come from our own way of seeing the world.

**It’s not always about following the rules. Sometimes it’s about learning to see what’s there in a different way.** 📷🌅✨

09/09/2026

https://www.adamedwards.com.au/ebooks

Adam Edwards Photography — Seeing Beyond the Obvious

When I look at the work of **Adam Edwards Photography in Broken Hill**, one thing that really stands out to me is that his photography seems to be built on something much deeper than simply knowing how to operate a camera.

It is built on **the art of seeing**.

Broken Hill and the surrounding outback provide an extraordinary canvas — red earth, weathered buildings, abandoned structures, mine shafts, dramatic skies, harsh light and subtle colours. But these things are only the starting point. The real skill is recognising *what is there photographically* and then deciding how to translate that into an image.

That is where Adam's approach becomes interesting.

His images demonstrate an understanding of **light, shape, texture, colour, composition and timing**. Rather than simply pointing a camera at an interesting subject, there is a sense of looking for the relationships between the elements within the frame.

A rusted car isn't simply a rusted car.

A derelict building isn't simply an old building.

A landscape isn't simply a landscape.

They become **shapes, lines, textures, tones and visual relationships** that can be arranged within the frame to create something more expressive.

This is what I mean by *the Art of Seeing*.

Adam's workshops also reflect this philosophy. His teaching is not only about camera settings and technical knowledge. Participants are encouraged to develop their composition, understand light and ultimately create their own images. His clients frequently mention his guidance with composition, framing, light and his ability to help them see photographic possibilities they may otherwise have missed.

And perhaps that is one of the most important lessons in photography.

**The camera doesn't create the photograph. The photographer does.**

The camera is the tool.

Seeing is the beginning.

Learning to slow down, observe, simplify, recognise relationships and decide *what matters within the frame* is what allows a photographer to move beyond simply taking pictures and begin **making photographs**.

I think Adam Edwards' work from Broken Hill is a wonderful example of this.

It reminds us that sometimes the most important thing we can do as photographers is not to take another photograph…

**but to stop, look, and truly see.**

Explore Adam Edwards' collection of free eBooks, offering valuable tips, techniques, and inspiration to elevate your photography skills. Discover your unique style, master landscape photography, and learn effective planning with practical guides tailored for photographers of all levels.

05/09/2026

📷 **LEARNING TO SEE — BEFORE LEARNING TO PHOTOGRAPH**

Over the past year, I’ve been thinking more and more about something that is easy to overlook in photography.

**The camera doesn’t create the photograph. The photographer does.**

The camera simply records what we have learned to see.

So how do we actually improve our ability to *see*?

I’ve been putting together a list of exercises that I believe can help photographers move beyond simply photographing objects and start seeing **shapes, lines, patterns, light, colour, relationships and emotion.**

Here are a few I would encourage anyone to try:

🔤 **1. Photograph the Alphabet**

Go out with your camera or phone and photograph the letters A–Z without photographing actual letters.

Look for shapes in buildings, branches, shadows, fences, roads, architecture and everyday objects that *suggest* each letter.

This is a fantastic exercise because you stop asking:

“What is this?”

And start asking:

**“What shape do I see?”**

Suddenly, the world becomes full of possibilities.

🔲 **2. Photograph Shapes, Not Objects**

Choose something familiar—a tree, building, car or person.

Now forget what it is.

Look only for circles, triangles, squares, curves, diagonals and negative spaces.

Try photographing the shape rather than the object.

👁️ **3. Find Five Different Ways to Photograph One Thing**

Choose one subject and make five completely different photographs of it.

Change your viewpoint.

Move closer.

Move further away.

Look up.

Look down.

Try isolating a small part.

This teaches us that **the subject isn't the photograph. Our interpretation of the subject is.**

🌗 **4. Photograph Light and Shadow**

For one outing, ignore interesting objects.

Look only for light.

Look for shadows, reflections, highlights, silhouettes and the way light changes a scene.

Ask yourself:

**“Where is the light taking my eye?”**

🎨 **5. Choose One Colour**

Go out and photograph only one colour.

Perhaps red.

Or blue.

Or yellow.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly your brain begins searching for relationships between different shades, textures and shapes.

🪞 **6. Photograph Reflections**

Don't simply photograph the reflection.

Look at what happens when the real world and reflected world begin to merge.

Windows, puddles, glass, polished surfaces and water can completely change our perception of what we are seeing.

🔄 **7. Turn the World Upside Down**

Take photographs from unusual angles—or even turn the finished image upside down.

This can help disconnect your brain from recognising objects and encourage you to see **form, tone and composition** instead.

🖼️ **8. Try Abstract Photography**

Take something ordinary and remove enough information that it becomes difficult to identify.

A small section of a building.

A rusted surface.

A shadow.

A piece of machinery.

A collection of leaves.

Ask:

**“How little can I show while still creating something interesting?”**

🚶 **9. Slow Down**

Walk somewhere familiar without taking a photograph for the first ten minutes.

Just look.

Observe.

Notice things you've walked past hundreds of times.

Photography isn't always about finding something new.

Sometimes it's about **seeing something familiar in a new way.**

📱 **10. Photograph With Your Phone**

This is one I particularly enjoy.

Take away all the controls and technical decisions of your main camera.

Use your phone and concentrate entirely on **seeing**.

Where you place the frame becomes more important than aperture, shutter speed or ISO.

🧠 **11. Ask Different Questions**

Instead of:

“What should I photograph?”

Try asking:

**What catches my eye?**

**Why does it catch my eye?**

**What shapes are here?**

**What happens if I remove the obvious?**

**Where is the negative space?**

**What is the light doing?**

**Can I photograph the feeling rather than the object?**

**What else could this become?**

And perhaps the most important exercise of all:

❤️ **12. Learn to Feel Before You Press the Shutter**

A photograph doesn't have to simply show us what something looks like.

It can make us **feel** something.

Peace.

Loneliness.

Energy.

Movement.

Stillness.

Joy.

Mystery.

Emotion.

The more I practise these exercises, the more I realise that photography is becoming less about the camera and more about **observation and interpretation.**

Perhaps learning photography isn't really about learning how to take photographs.

Perhaps it's about learning **how to see.**

And once you start seeing differently, you begin to realise that photographs are everywhere. 📷

**What exercises have helped you learn to see differently?**

I'd love to hear your ideas and add them to the list. 👇

05/09/2026

🌅📸 The Social Sunrise Photography Crew caught up this morning down at **Koolewong Marina on Brisbane Water** for a great morning of photography, good company and plenty of laughs!

Afterwards, we finished things off with a good old **chin wag** over at **Cockabrew in Umina**. ☕️😊

I’ve also added **two ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) photos** into the mix. I’ve really been enjoying experimenting with ICM and seeing how it transforms familiar scenes into shapes, colours and movement. 🎨📷

**Let us know what you think!** 👇😊

04/09/2026

https://youtu.be/QjGw4l8aUu8?si=fIBHIOmX1fE9cVtd

If your best photos still feel like accidents you can't repeat, thi...

04/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JDyh8vx1T/

04/09/2026

Have a beautiful weekend and take it easy. Photos take at Central Station Sydney, while on the move.

02/09/2026

Just practising a little ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) with my mobile phone. 📱📸

I love the colours and movement it produces. ICM is a great way to step away from simply photographing objects and start seeing shapes, colours, lines and patterns instead.

It’s all about learning to see differently and discovering what happens when you let the camera become part of the creative process.

01/09/2026

Practising ICM on the way home tonight.