9 September 2009

Presentation Zen: 7 Japanese aesthetic principles to change your photography?

With thanks to presentation zen

Garr Reynolds is a world-renowned expert on presenting.

His book "presentation zen" is one of the books that is a must for those who use powerpoint.

A recent article in his blog suggests applying these 7 Japanese principles to your presenting style but I think they are so applicable to photography perhaps we should print them and carry them with us (maybe on the back of the imaphotographernotaterrorist bust card?)

"Seven principles for changing your perception
Kanso (簡素) Simplicity or elimination of clutter.

Enso Fukinsei (不均整)
Asymmetry or irregularity. The idea of controlling balance in a composition via irregularity and asymmetry is a central tenet of the Zen aesthetic.


Shibui/Shibumi (渋味)
Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon.


Shizen (自然) Naturalness. Absence of pretense or artificiality, full creative intent unforced.


Yugen (幽玄)
Profundity or suggestion rather than revelation. A Japanese garden, for example, can be said to be a collection of subtleties and symbolic elements. Photographers and designers can surely think of many ways to visually imply more by not showing the whole, that is, showing more by showing less.


Datsuzoku (脱俗) Freedom from habit or formula. Escape from daily routine or the ordinary. Unworldly. Transcending the conventional.


Seijaku (静寂)
Tranquility or an energized calm (quite), stillness, solitude.

Fukinsei = the rule of thirds?

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