Beyond The Lens Newsletter, June 14 , 2025
Negative Capability
Negative Capability
(Above) Does it matter if you understand the image or subject here?
Negative Capability in photography is the willingness to let go of certainty and allow mystery, ambiguity, and emotional nuance to live within an image. Instead of trying to explain everything or make the subject obvious, the photographer trusts the viewer to find meaning for themselves. This doesn't mean “being vague for the sake of being vague.” It means resisting the urge to control every interpretation and instead, leaning into the poetic, the subtle, and the suggestive. Deepen the mystery.
When I was learning to embrace this concept, the key was trusting the viewer. I was having a difficult time letting go and my images were far too literal and pedestrian as a result. When I finally found the courage to let go of the literal and truly trust my audience, my photography took a quantum leap forward.
The term Negative Capability was first coined by the English poet, John Keats as he applied it to the work of Shakespeare.
Keats wrote:
“Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.”
In modern vernacular, it means the ability to create and explore without needing everything to be resolved, explained, or tied up neatly in a bow.
To achieve this, start by letting go of preconceived narratives or the need to “say something” with each of your photos. Observe without judgment. Allow the scene to speak to you in ways that aren’t strictly logical. Be comfortable with not fully understanding what you're drawn to and photograph it anyway. Focus on feeling rather than explanation. Use light, composition, and atmosphere to evoke rather than declare or explain.
Negative Capability isn't a technique; it’s a mindset. It’s about being okay with not knowing exactly what a photograph means, even to you, and trusting that something real, something human, can still come through.
Why Does This Matter for Creativity?
In a world ruled by efficiency, clarity, and certainty, negative capability stands almost as a creative rebellion. It says:
You don’t need to know where you’re going with your image to create something powerful.
You don’t need all the answers to press the shutter.
You don’t need to resolve contradictions. You can hold them, explore them, live in them. Sometimes that’s where the real magic lives.
Negative Capability is especially important in early-stage creativity, where overthinking and over-controlling can kill an idea before it has the opportunity to form. The capacity to sit in ambiguity without flinching, to follow curiosity without needing it to justify itself, is a hallmark of many great photographers, artists, writers, and content creators.
New Podcast Episode: Chris Burkard
Episode 91 - Adventure Photographer and Filmmaker on Embracing Uncertainty and Discomfort to Discover Creativity and Joy
Chris Burkard is an American adventure and landscape photographer, filmmaker, speaker, creative director, and explorer now living with his family in Reykjavik, Iceland. He is best known for his inspiring photojournalistic work that weaves together the stories of surfing, adventure, and travel to cold and foreign places. His work has led him to deliver TED talks, partner with Fortune 500 companies, and to create films like Under an Arctic Sky and The Forgotten Coast.
Latest Episodes of Beyond The Lens:
Great Quote
“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
Follow My Instagram
I’ve found myself using Instagram stories to share experiences and visual vignettes during my travels and I’ll be doing a lot more of the same in 2025. If this interests you, you can follow me here.
Kase Filters
People often ask what filter system I use. The answer is Kase Filters.
And you can get 10% off any product on the Kase Filters Amazon Page when you use coupon code BERNABE10 at check out.
*****
Here’s to Truth, Adventure, and Passion…
Thanks for this. I didn't know the concept. That's very interesting.
Love this! sometimes the mystery you missed before jumps out later and sparks a whole new idea.