I find that doing photography as an artistic pursuit to be very challenging.  It necessarily involves a quieting of my busy and often over-active life in order to assume a calm state of mind that is open to receive the gifts that intuitively will come when you are fully open and receptive to your subject.  This takes place more often than not when I apply a discipline to my photographic practice, whether while image making or in image processing, that is least hampered by distractions.

On this topic some of the thoughts of Minor White (American artist and photographer, 1908-1976) have been enlightening for me:

• "Let the subject generate its own photographs.  Become a camera."
• "... innocence of eye has a quality of its own. It means to see as a child sees, with freshness and acknowledgment of the wonder; it also means to see as an adult sees who has gone full circle and once again sees as a child."
• "Be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence."

Have you had this experience?  Does this approach improve your work as a photographer?  What are your thoughts?