The Adventures in Seeing Book

Ordinary reality can be quite extraordinary.

I’m sure you enjoy those times in life when you experience something rare and special – a sunset over the ocean, the view from a mountain peak, or the first blooms of spring. These times add richness to your life and you’re grateful for them. However, there’s a different kind of satisfaction that you can experience every single day. The Adventures in Seeing book is designed to help you do just that.

This book explores the transformative power of contemplative photography and offers practices for the reader to discover the same. I draw from my own personal experience after practicing for many years, as well as from the wisdom of mentors like Ansel Adams and Freeman Patterson, who exemplify the art of seeing deeply. It is a guide that encourages readers to slow down, embrace the beauty in the ordinary, and discover the richness in everyday life through cultivating nine contemplative habits (see right). Not only will you make better photographs, you’ll develop a profound sense of presence, self-awareness, and connection with the world. You’ll experience life as the adventure it is.

9 habits for living a contemplative life

“The camera is an instrument that teaches us how to see without a camera.” ~ Dorothea Lange

What’s Inside

The Premise: Your camera (or smartphone) can be used as a tool to develop nine contemplative habits that’ll expand the way you see. The book is divided into three sections – Pause, Focus, and Connect. Within each section, you’ll practice developing three of the nine habits. There are five photographic exercises or “calls to adventure” for each habit. Interspersed throughout the book are personal stories, inspiring mentors in seeing, and many photographic examples.

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Section 1 - Pause

 

You’ll learn the power of the pause and practice habits of openness, humility, and acceptance. You’ll build more space in your life.

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Section 2 - Focus

 

You’ll learn to focus with intention. going deeper and bringing curiosity to the table. You’ll experience wonder anywhere and anytime.

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Section 3 - Connect

 

You’ll learn to simplify to what really matters in life. You’ll see more possibilities, and develop stronger relationships. You’ll click the shutter and make the connection.

As a photographer, I reached a moment when I wanted to journey beyond such questions as “What was your ISO?” Kim Manley Ort’s Adventures in Seeing workshop enabled me to see photography as an art form which encompasses more than mere technical prowess. Drawing upon her personal experiences and knowledge of the contemplative approach to living in the moment, she offers a series of forty-five “calls to adventure.” These exercises empowered me to make images that express a deeper truth within myself, a truth expressed in the photographic image. I highly recommend Adventures in Seeing.
Dan Meylor

AIS Participant

What Others are Saying

This book’s a delight … a fresh and beautifully evoked pathway of loving life. Gift yourself by immersing in the journey … Kim Manley Ort is a wise and expert guide!
Tara Brach

Meditation Teacher and Author, Radical Acceptance and True Refuge, Insight Meditation Community

Adventures in Seeing is more than a book about photography. It’s an invitation to live with more awareness and appreciation. Kim Manley Ort’s premise is that the camera is an agent for slowing down, opening our eyes, and seeing possibility all around and within us. Every day indeed can be an adventure in seeing. The world will be better off for Kim Manley Ort’s work and wisdom.
Jeffrey Davis

Poet, Author, and Founder, Tracking Wonder

Adventures in Seeing is a beautiful guide to using photography to grow personally, emotionally and spiritually. Give yourself – or those you love – the gift of this book!
Tara Mohr

Author, Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead, Tara Mohr

Adventures in Seeing made me look inside and outside in new ways with my heart and my camera. As an artist and a poet, I use the camera for composition and inspiration. With new insights from Kim’s book, I see the world in greater detail, with more curiosity and power.
Norah Oulahen

Poet and Artist, The Poet in Me and You

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