What Photography Teaches Us About Attention
What Photography Teaches Us About Attention
On attention, visual storytelling, and how we learn to see
sent by Krystal Chryssomallis | February 9, 2026
”Attention is not neutral. Where we place it is a choice—and that choice shapes experience.”
Hi Friend,
Judging this year’s Travel Photographer of the Year awards offered an unexpected gift. Moving through more than 20,000 images from 160 countries, patterns began to emerge—not just about photography, but about how we see.
Again and again, the images that stayed with me were not the most technically perfect. They were the ones that carried emotion. Presence. Intention. A story.
As I shared with the BBC,
“The strongest photographs carried depth, intention and emotion, demonstrating the narrative power of a single image and reminding us that our world, when truly seen, is extraordinarily powerful and beautiful.”
You could feel when a photographer had taken the time to truly observe—to be in relationship with what was in front of them—rather than trying to extract a moment or force a story.
Art is an example of how attention becomes felt. Photography, music, painting… moves beyond language and straight into the heart and soul, allowing complex ideas to be experienced rather than explained.
A powerful image doesn’t instruct; it invites.
WINNER | Travel Image of the Year 2025 | Dana Allen
What struck me most was how personal this process is.
The photographs that carried the most depth revealed something about the photographer’s relationship to the subject or place and to themselves. There was a sense of co-creation, as if the image emerged from mutual respect and attentiveness.
The strongest photographers didn’t arrive with rigid ideas of what the image should be. They allowed the moment to be what it was. As viewers, we might not always have language for why these images feel different, but we sense it intuitively—an internal knowing of what feels honest versus what feels veiled.
That’s why spending time with someone’s photography is such a gift.
When we look closely at an image, we’re not only seeing a place or a moment—we’re seeing how that person sees the world. Their sensitivity. Their patience. Their depth, and even their blind spots. A photograph reveals how well someone knows themselves, because we can only meet the other as deeply as we’ve met ourselves.
The more inner awareness a photographer carries, the more resonance appears in their work.
A camera, in this way, is a mirror.
It reflects what is placed in front of it—but always through a lens. And that lens matters. The clearer it is, the more resonance comes through. Photography reminds us that we don’t simply document what we see; we reflect the world through our perception. The image shows us not just what was there, but how it was seen.
This is where photography becomes a teacher for life.
It freezes a moment in time long enough for us to truly take it in—to notice what was present but easy to miss.
In a world where we move quickly—scrolling, consuming, absorbing opinions and images all day long—we often relinquish our awareness without realizing it. Much of modern life is designed to capture and hold our attention.
Attention matters.
It is one of the most valuable currencies we have, yet we give it away freely.
Photography teaches us how to take it back.
Some of the best photographers in the world have honed the skill of attention. Being so present with the moment, and open to the world around them, that they seem to make the invisible, visible.
Frame by frame, they show us that where attention goes determines what is amplified. And what is amplified becomes our lived experience.
Neuroscience supports this.
Attention is a trainable skill. What we focus on strengthens neural pathways, shaping how we perceive, interpret, and respond to the world.
Seeing is not a personality trait. It’s a practice. And it’s available to all of us.
This is also why forced images feel off. Even when we can’t name it, we sense when something has been imposed rather than allowed.
The same is true in life.
When we try to control outcomes, rush meaning, or cling to preconceived narratives, friction appears.
When we soften our grip and meet moments with curiosity instead of assumption, something shifts. Alignment replaces effort. Energy changes. Possibility shows itself.
We are all doing this every day, whether we realize it or not.
Like photographers in the field, we are constantly choosing where to place our attention—what to frame, what to amplify, what to leave out. Each of us may stand in the same scene and come away with something entirely different, shaped by our experiences, assumptions, and inner state.
Attention is not neutral.
Where we place it is a choice—and that choice shapes our experience. It determines not only how we see the world, but how we move through it, and what kind of life we create for ourselves and those around us.
We have agency here.
We can train our attention.
We can clarify our lens.
We can choose presence over force, curiosity over assumption.
And in doing so, we don’t just change what we see—we change how we live.
What are you amplifying—intentionally or not?
With love,
Krystal ♥️
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I highly recommend spending time with the winners of this year’s Travel Photographer of the Year awards. Their work is a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when we truly learn to see.
(BBC link here)
📷 Image shared: Travel Image of the Year 2025 by Dana Allen
🖤 For photographers considering entering in the future — this is a competition that honors both craft and story. Winners receive cash awards, global editorial coverage, and meaningful mentorship, with this year’s program taking place in Sri Lanka. - Click for Information -
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