The Creative Eye

“The Creative Eye is an invitation to engage in photography and seeing as a transformative act. The legacy of Minor White and other luminaries live on in the pages of this important book. It’s like attending a workshop with a master photographer, exploring the mysteries of attention with a suite of exercises, stories, and insights. A must-read for photographers, seekers, and anyone who wishes to rediscover the gift of seeing.”
—Jim Metzner, producer of Pulse of the Planet podcast

“David Ulrich reminds us that seeing is not passive but a discipline of attention, one that can be shattered by the loss of an eye and rebuilt, more deeply, through practice. Part memoir, part lifetime of teaching distilled into practical guidance, The Creative Eye is a companion for anyone who wishes to look at the world, and at themselves, with greater clarity.”
—Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, humanitarian, author, and photographer

“This is a beautiful treatise on the importance of looking and seeing, awareness and consciousness, and being alive. David’s gift for words is as evocative as his photographs. He inspires us to see again, as we did as children.”
—Lydia Panas, photographer and author of Sleeping Beauty and The Mark of Abel

“This is a book about seeing, but its real subject is presence: how to live undistracted, right where we are. It offers antidotes to the distraction and inattention that prevent us from seeing clearly.”
—Andy Karr, author of The Practice of Contemplative Photography

“It is rare to find a writer who can capture the joy of the creative process while remaining truthful to the challenge of learning how to see, whatever our chosen means of expression. There is an honesty and generosity throughout these pages—David expertly guides us through exercises, discoveries, and his own experiences, allowing us to become participants rather than simply readers. The Creative Eye belongs in the company of Eugen Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery and Richard Boleslavsky’s Acting: The First Six Lessons.”
—Peter Laytin, Professor Emeritus of Communications Media and former head of the photography program at Fitchburg State University

“More than a commentary or guidebook, The Creative Eye is a demonstration of the transformative power of conscious attention—and of the potential within each of us to live more fully and compassionately in today’s world. It is both a guide toward deeper seeing and a poignantly told story of personal discovery.”
—Barry Perlus, Associate Professor Emeritus, Cornell University