“If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient observation than to any other reason.”
—Isaac Newton
When I was making a living as a photographer, I tried hard to train myself to see instead of just look. I tried to examine a subject, capturing the interplay of light and shadow, appreciating how minor shifts in perspective transformed appearances, notice any distracting elements, and figure out the most artistic way to present it. It was a skill that served me well as a photographer. However, now that my focus has shifted to the world of nature, I realized I needed to adapt my observational skills.
Not only did I need to see a different way, I needed to remember what I saw. After a health scare several years ago that affected my mental processes, any tip or trick I could use to improve my memory was welcomed.
Nothing opened my eyes more (pun intended) than John Muir Laws and his book “The Laws Guide to Nature Journaling and Drawing”. It’s more than a book about journaling and drawing, it’s a book about how to see.
Imagine seeing a generic bird that we’ve all probably seen hundreds and hundreds of times: a little brown bird. Unless you’re actively focused on identification, you see it, it blends into the background, and you move on.
Now imagine you’re seeing it for the first time. Now what do you notice? The size, the shape, not just brown but streaking and variations, tiny splashes of color that you missed before. What if you knew this was the last time you would ever see it? What could you do to make sure you remember what it looks like?
John Muir Laws has three prompts that he recommends to enhance nature observation: I notice, I wonder, and it reminds me of.
I notice. This is where you describe what you see, hear, smell, touch, or taste (please don’t taste the frogs). You can use adjectives, colors, shapes, sizes, textures, patterns, or any other details that catch your attention. For example, "I notice that the flower has five petals and they are purple with white spots." If you make your observations out loud, you’ll have a better chance of remembering them.
I wonder. This is where you ask questions about what you notice. You can use words like why, how, what, when, where, or who. For example, "I wonder why the flower has spots and what purpose they serve."
It reminds me of. Nothing exists in isolation. If you can make a connection between what you notice and your prior knowledge, experiences, or feelings, you can cement the observation into your memory. For example, "It reminds me of the polka dot dress that my Aunt Lilith used to wear and how she loved gardening."
How do these prompts help?
Not only does this help your observational skills, this technique has many benefits for your learning and well-being. Here are some of them:
It helps you focus on the present moment and be more mindful of your surroundings.
It stimulates your curiosity and encourages you to explore and learn more about nature.
It enhances your creativity and imagination by making you think of new possibilities and associations.
It fosters your empathy and appreciation for nature and its diversity and beauty.
It makes you happy and relaxed by reducing stress and boosting your mood.
Here are some examples of how I used this technique to observe different things in nature:
A bird song: I notice that the bird is singing a series of short, high-pitched notes that sound like "chee-chee-chee". I wonder what kind of bird it is and what it is trying to communicate. It reminds me of the alarm clock that I used to have and how it annoyed me every morning.
A sunset: I notice that the sky is changing colors from blue to orange to purple. I wonder what causes this phenomenon and how it varies depending on the season and location. It reminds me of the painting Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh and how he used swirls and strokes to capture the movement of the sky.
A mushroom: I notice that the mushroom has a brown cap and a white stem and it is growing on a dead log. I wonder how it gets its nutrients and how long it will live. It reminds me of the mushrooms in the TV miniseries “The 10th Kingdom” singing “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.
Nature observations are a simple yet powerful way to connect with the world around you. By using the I notice, I wonder, and it reminds me of prompts, you can deepen your awareness, curiosity, creativity, empathy, and happiness. You can practice this technique anytime and anywhere you encounter nature, and discover new things and perspectives.
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious."― Stephen Hawking