Wonder what she’s looking at?
I’ve been an advertising, corporate, and editorial for fifty-three years, and in that time I’ve enjoyed teaching and showing photographers how to use their eye in a different way than they have been.
This is my ninth year teaching an online class with the BPSOP, and my first workshop, “Stretching Your Frame of Mind”, was in 1983. I have been told by students way too many times that they, in return, have been told to always have their subject walking, running, or facing into the frame.”Always leave more room in front of your subject than in the back”, is a direct quote (and one of their rules) from a site on the internet; whose name I will leave out. This is referred to as “leading in”.
It’s a ‘mind-bender’ for me! Why on earth would anyone tell you that? I suppose the reason is that they want you to become good little photographers, and whoever keeps saying this is indeed a good photographer. If being a good photographer is your goal, then that’s great, and follow the path most traveled.
If you want your photos to consistently be “up a notch”, you might consider coloring outside of the lines. If you want to be more than just a good ‘shooter’, you might want to consider other points of view…like mine for one example.
If I put someone looking into the frame, then the viewer will know what that person is looking at. If I have someone walking or running into the frame (giving the subject room to run as they say), the viewer will know where they’re going. Where’s the mystery and drama in that? Sounds pretty boring to me. I want the viewer to wonder what the subject is looking at, and where he’s going NEXT. By placing the subject close to the edge of the frame facing out, two things will happen:
Placing the subject close to the edge of the frame, and minimizing the ‘Negative Space’ between the subject and the edge, you’ll generate Tension. The Tension comes from the anticipation of the subject leaving the frame. Second, you’ll imply content outside the frame.
All this is a big part of the Psychology of Gestalt I teach in my workshop. In short, we want the viewer to take an active part in our pictures. The viewer will always react to that which is most different. In our reality, making the mind work harder is not necessarily a good thing, but in photography it is. By leading the viewer’s eye in and out and around our composition, or having them complete an image, or have them consider the scene, they are taking an active role, and when we can accomplish that our images will definitely be stronger.`
Here are some examples of just what I mean:
JoeB
Check out my website at www.joebaraban.com and my 2012 workshop schedule then come shoot with me sometime.
good post . we should inspire our viewers to not just view the photo but see the story . if everything is obvious in the photo there is no room left for the viewer to interpret the photograph !
Exactly right! Stay tuned for my post I call “The whole Enchilada”.
Absolutely agree …
The problem with ‘common wisdom’ is that people often forget what the original intention was to begin with.
As you suggest, when I look through the photos you linked in, several of them had me wondering what the subject was seeing / feeling / experiencing.
Sacred cows make the best hamburgers … don’t be afraid the break the rules.
—Rob
Rob,
I work a lot with the Theory of Gestalt in Photography. In it, it stresses taking control of how the viewer perceives and processes our photos. If we can get him/her to take an active role by making him work harder, our photography will become stronger. Keeping him involved by making him wonder what’s going to happen next…is a very good thing.
Thanks for the comment.
Joe
I had many times photographed people or subjects leaving the frame or looking out as you suggested, because I found this much more interesting. Then as you mentioned I took a class and the instructor told me, don’t do that…..So i stopped. I feel I have been liberated!
andrea reti
Good!!!
I would question anyone that would tell you that!!!!!!!!! In my opinion they’re giving you bad advice…that is unless you want your photos to be predictable and average. Next time someone tells you that look at their work then look at mine and decide which direction you want to follow…then tell them to call me!!!!!!!!!
JoeB