The Art of Noticing

Presence brings peace.

Being where your feet are is more natural than we make it. All we truly have is the right now, yet we are often caught up in yesterdays and tomorrows. 

Apparently 2026 is the analog year – and for me, I hope it is! I pray that it is!

When we allow space to just be we create space to be where we are – creating space to notice. To notice the big and small, macro and micro. It all makes up the picture that is the art of noticing.

As I’ve grown as a photographer and Christian in parallel over the years, I’ve worked on the art of noticing. Arriving in a space and taking inventory: How is the light shining? Where is the wind blowing? How do I feel? How do I think others feel? What is the prettiest part of where I am?

These questions aren’t just good to ask as a photographer, but as the creation of a Master Artist too. 

Let me tell ya… God is fancy. He is creative, intentional, talented… a master at His work. When we strengthen the muscle of noticing, we begin to unveil more of God’s beauty. 

Something I like to do when I get to a shoot is practice the art of noticing. I want to be fully there and take note of alllll the beauty I have the potential of capturing. I ask myself: How can I best create images that capture the essence of the scene? How can I best create the time capsule that is an intentional photograph? 

So I try to slow down. I look longer than feels necessary because noticing is an act of presence, and presence is a form of love.

When I notice, I’m reminded that nothing is accidental — not the way light hits a mountain, not the stillness between moments. These are the details that may go unseen, yet they carry so much weight. They tell the truth of a place. They tell a story.

I believe photography isn’t about creating something new. It’s about honoring what already exists. The art of noticing has changed the way I photograph and the way I live. It has taught me to lean into quiet moments, to value slowness, to see God’s intentionality in the ordinary, to believe that being present is often enough.

And maybe that’s the invitation for all of us in this analog year ahead: to look up, to linger, to notice… because when we do, peace tends to follow.

If you want to invite the art of noticing into your wedding day, I’d love to be there for you! Inquire here

Until the next page, 

Elizabeth Ann