Creating pictures is so much fun.
I often refer to photography as the art of taking, making, or creating pictures. In fact, these three concepts can determine the strength of your composition. They will decide on how long the viewer will look at your images and if they will even be remembered.
First let’s look at the approach my fellow photographers take when they either submit their photos in my online class with the BPSOP or during the daily critiques in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct.
For the most part, when I see their photos the one thing that usually stands out is that I find these photographers taking pictures. In other words they stand there and bring their camera up to their eye and start shooting without thinking about how to keep the viewer around; because of the visual interest and tension needed to do just that.
I have found a common thread between these types of pictures and it stems from always shooting at the same height, the same POV, the same F/stop, the same direction of the light, the same lens, and letting the camera decide on the exposure…which is usually the wrong advice.
My desire as a teacher is to show photographers the difference between taking and making pictures, and try to get them to stop the practice of taking pictures and move them forward to making them.
Making pictures is all about looking a your subject differently. Putting the light up front and among the most important aspects of your photographic vision. Unless you’re street shooting where capturing the moment is critical, light is everything!!!
I show my students how to incorporate the Elements of Visual Design into their imagery, and these elements are put on an imaginary ‘Artist Palette’. The same ‘Artist Palette’ I’ve been carrying around in the back of my mind for the past forty-nine years.
When I’m out shooting I look for things not immediately visible without the help of my palette. I look for: Light, Texture, Patterns, Shapes, Vanishing Points, Perspective, Color, and most important Line.
I look for different ways to show the subject, whether it’s lying on my stomach and getting dirt on my shirt, or finding a way to shoot down on objects. Maybe panning is the answer, or a slow shutter speed, or using lens not necessarily meant for what I’m thinking about; a 100mm macro lens or a 300mm for portraiture as one example.
I look for ways to use Negative Space to define my subjects, as well as balancing my composition. I use lines to move the viewer around the frame, especially if I can introduce a Vanishing Point. I introduce Color on overcast days, and I also use color to communicate ideas. I see a tree, and I look for what else it is.
This is making pictures and a hell of a lot more fun than just bringing the camera up to my eyes and clicking the shutter.
Finally, there’s creating pictures, and this is my favorite way to shoot. To me, my camera on a tripod is the same as a blank canvas on an easel.
Creating pictures means adding a prop, asking someone to pose for me, or moving things around to gain more interest and tension. The above photo was taken during my Maine Media Workshop I conduct every year at the end of July beginning of August.
This was at the Lobster Festival in Rockland. I saw the couple outside of the tent taking turns shooting each others picture so I asked them if they would mind if I took a picture of the young woman taking a picture of her boyfriend. I had first noticed the wonderful light creating silhouettes from others walking by and the wonderful squares (shapes) that were backlit.
I placed the woman so all I would see is her silhouette, and I put the man so his face would appear in one of the squares. I then told them to forget I was here and continue taking pictures. The blank canvas was in my mind so I began creating my art.
So now you’ve read about three approaches to the art of photography. You can continue to take pictures and travel the well worn road to mediocrity, you can begin making pictures and experience a whole new way to gain attention to your images, or you can create pictures and really have fun…even reaching Nirvana!!!!
🙂
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my 2018 workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. I can promise you a lot of fun, reaching Nirvana might be a little more difficult. I’ve a couple of openings in my Springtime in Berlin workshop next May 23rd. A fantastic city with so many great locations we’re going to be shooting.
This coming July 29th will be my 30th anniversary teaching at the Maine Media Workshop. I’ve always picked this time as it’s the week of the Lobster Festival down the road in Rockland. This ofers a unique set of photo ops, different from the Maine Coast, fishing villages and lighthouses. The Lobster Festival is all about color, design, light, energy, people watchng and environmental portraits everywhere you look; some people are there in costumes and loved to be photographed.
In conjunction with The Santa Fe Workshops, October 2nd I’ll be leading a group in San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful oasis and artist colony, and the entire city is a UNESCO site.
Come join me for a week of fun and photography…what could be better?
JoeB
