One step back
Besides teaching an online class with the BPSOP, and conducting my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet, I also do a six-month mentoring program where I work one-on-one with photographers.
Recently, I have the same issue come a couple of times which has led me to write a post on it. It’s when I’m talking about one of their photos, and there’s something that has been cut off on one of the edges of the frame.
There are several reasons why this happens. Either they’re in too much of a hurry to get to the next shot, or lunch, or that glass of wine, etc., they’re so focused on the subject that they miss everything else going on.
At best, when there is a subject worth shooting, they’re so focused on placing the subject in the best light and the best positioning in the frame, that they forget about the rest of the environment. That is, the balance between the Negative or Positive Space that’s surrounding the subject/main center of interest, or the contrast between the light and dark areas, or whether the colors complement one another…and so on.
I see it so often that if I had a dollar for every time I talk about it, I would be writing this post next to a pool at some villa I’ve rented for the year…with a blue and frothy drink (with an umbrella in it) next to me.
There’s a very easy and quick solution (although I dare tell the world as to perhaps lose my villa), and that is to just take a step back and make an adjustment. Sometimes it’s just one step that will do the trick, but you have to be paying attention.
In the above photo, I had a 17mm lens on and it just took one step back to include all the wonderful black and white tiled floor that I had cut off in my first shot.
Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
