How do you visualise without a camera?

Just wondering how people visualise whether a scene would look good as a photo when they dont have a camera handy?

Do you just look at the whole scene and hope there is a good photo in there or do you somehow try to focus on a smaller area to "see" the shot?

My tendency is to look at the whole and hope.

I can tell a good scene even when I'm cruising by it on the highway...I don't need a camera in my hands. I'm no savant either.

It comes with experience.

Also, if you hold up your hands so that a rectangle is created by both thumbs and forefingers, you can effectively put a "frame" around the screen.

Pete wrote in post #7514963
It comes with experience.

Also, if you hold up your hands so that a rectangle is created by both thumbs and forefingers, you can effectively put a "frame" around the screen.

I was going to say that i did that but i thought that it was just me that did it:o

One way I learned when I was starting. We took an empty slide holder and an piece of cardboard. cut a hole in the card and put in the slide carrier. This way the hole is exactly the format that you will be taking. (and replaceable when damaged) When scouting you would hold it up and you could see what the picture might look like if you took the image. You could "zoom" it by holding it close or at an arms length.It basically made you to narrow your vision to a tiny part of the scene. After a while you start to exclude things from your vision as you look at things. In other words, you can see the water tower, but can keep it from influencing what you are focusing on as a potential image.

We made another with a gell in the holder. I forget what gell it is, but it would help you see in B&W. I still have this one somewhere.

Pete wrote in post #7514963
It comes with experience.

Also, if you hold up your hands so that a rectangle is created by both thumbs and forefingers, you can effectively put a "frame" around the screen.

My right thumb is too short for the 2:3 aspect ratio. What should I do?

tzalman wrote in post #7515252
My right thumb is too short for the 2:3 aspect ratio. What should I do?

Slide your thumbs closer to each other along your index fingers (the index fingers will protrude on either side), or shoot panorama

tzalman wrote in post #7515252
My right thumb is too short for the 2:3 aspect ratio. What should I do?

Use an APS camera in panorama mode...

I can usually see what will make a good shot, but it's really only part of the process.
Creativity, nature/nurture Two pages of posts on the subject.

Mark1 wrote in post #7515141
One way I learned when I was starting. We took an empty slide holder and an piece of cardboard. cut a hole in the card and put in the slide carrier. This way the hole is exactly the format that you will be taking. (and replaceable when damaged) When scouting you would hold it up and you could see what the picture might look like if you took the image. You could "zoom" it by holding it close or at an arms length.It basically made you to narrow your vision to a tiny part of the scene. After a while you start to exclude things from your vision as you look at things. In other words, you can see the water tower, but can keep it from influencing what you are focusing on as a potential image.

We made another with a gell in the holder. I forget what gell it is, but it would help you see in B&W. I still have this one somewhere.

This is what was suggested by several Teachers I have had in different photography classes, take a piece of matt board/cardboard and cut out a small rectangle to match the format of your camera. Keep it in your wallet.

I don't usually try to "frame" the entire scene, I look at individual objects and try to analyze whether or not the light/shadows/colors/a​ngle etc., would result in a good image.

I was at Nellis Air Force Base today (just to shop), and watched for a while as various fighters shot their approaches. I noticed that as I watched, I was trying to figure where I would have to be to get the best sun, at what point in their banking it might be best to shoot, and so on. I do that stuff all the time without realizing it, until I catch myself.

Moose that is exactley where you need to be. Constantly searching for "a frame" I do it as well. Even just driving down the road I will be framing how a tree leans over the road or what ever I see. This is what you want your brain to be doing. So when you are actually on location your brain is working on this with out thinking about it.

Years ago I used an empty 35mm slide mount to help visualize.
Today I can easily do that without the mount.

You have to also consider the effect of various lenses, DoF, etc. along with the framing of your visualization.

When I got my 10-22 one of the surprises I had was how I found it almost impossible to visualise what a scene would look like. I had to wander around with the viewfinder constantly at my eye. With experience it's becoming easier - but I still find it difficult.

thanks for sharing these tips...I feel this is my weakest point and something I need to learn to do better so I can stop taking "snapshots"