MONROE - Zane Williams brought his experience and knowledge to the Monroe Arts Center photography contest Thursday.

The noted Wisconsin photographer judged the photos and offered advice to photographers about what they should look for to capture a "special" photo.

"Photos of kittens and sunsets can be beautiful, but they have to be executed perfectly," he said. "I want to see someone look at something differently."

Williams has six photography books to his credit. Some of them are exclusively his own work and others are collaborations with others. He's working on another, about historic Wisconsin homes, that is due out sometime next year.

A book has to be something special, he said.

"If a tree is going to be destroyed for a book, it should be worth something. A book is a collection of images that work together. My books are unique because they're shaped by my cultural, artistic and political sensibilities."

He started taking pictures while attending the University of Wisconsin. His mother was a painter. His interest was photography. He had a skill for capturing what others didn't.

Much of photography can't be taught, he said. Photographers need to use their intuition to find a great photo and to see something that others don't.

"Five people can take five different pictures of the same thing," he said.

But that doesn't mean the other four photographers didn't take good pictures, he added. Each individual brings a different perspective.

More information about Williams is available at his Web site, www.zanewilliamsphotography.com.