Frank S. sent me this photo and said, ” Saw you were open to seeing pics and thought I’d send you this one that just re-surfaced.”
In my online class with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet, I show people how to incorporate the Elements of Visual Design and Composition in to their imagery. Years and years (a million) ago, this man took my Maine Media Workshop, (which incidentally begins July 30th this year) and along with his close friend, were way above the rest of the class in delivering quality images every day.3
Shooting with me didn’t give Frank his ‘eye’, he had it all along. All I did was to teach him how to use in in a different way. It seems to have stuck because his submission is a very nice portrait!!! Although I’m not a huge fan of combining B/W (or sepia, I think!!!) and Color, this portrait is among one of the few that I really like.
It’s straightforward simple, but compelling at the same time. It hits you in the ‘eye’ like a big Pizza Pie…but with a thin soft crust!!!
For me, her eyes are the strongest part of this photo. As I teach/preach to my students, Line is probably the most important Element on their ‘Artist Palette’ ( a term I use in my workshops), because without Line, nothing else would exist. It takes lines to make patterns, Texture, Vanishing Points, etc., as well as planes, trains, and automobiles..why???? Because planes, trains, and automobiles all have outLINES.
The most important Line is the horizon line, which should always be straight. However, the implied line between the subject and the lens is very powerful, and for that reason, if I’m not having them look out of the frame (see my post on the Leading in Rule), I usually have my subjects looking into the lens.
The exposure was very important here as far as getting the bright background, the skin-tones and her dress to have their own feel/look but to be combined together to make up the finished photo. It might look easy, but it’s not!!!
Thanks for the submission.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/barabanjoe check out my workshop schedule at the top of this Blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
