Ask JoeB: Yosemite In The Fog

Gary submitted this photo of Yosemite taken in the fog. His question to me was, “How I would compose this differently, and how would I deal with the exposure in the fog.”

Gary, the first thing I would do is to get the notion that the Rule of Thirds will take your imagery what I refer to as “Up a Notch” out of your mind!!! Check out my past post entitled “The Rule of Thirds is not for everyone“. The essence of that post is that if you want to be a good photographer then by all means follow that rule. However, if you want to be a great photographer forget about that rule.

In my forty-two year career as an Advertising, Corporate, and Editorial photographer, I can honestly say that I’ve never…not once…thought about that rule…why?

Because it’s very hard to generate Tension when you follow that rule. Be sure to look at my photo examples if you go back and read that post.

The most important elements in this photo are the clouds, the mountains, and of course the falls. That being said why show so much sky? In my opinion, you don’t need so much of it because it’s really not doing anything to take your photo “up a notch”. I would have cropped the photo (in the camera ) right above the mountain on the left. The reason is that by doing so, you would be creating Tension two ways: by minimizing the Negative Space between the tip of the mountain and the top edge of the frame, and by placing the mountain close to that edge of the frame.

Also, I would have placed the falls where it could create some Tension as well…anywhere but in the “Rule of Thirds”. I would place it where the viewer would discover it, not where it’s the first thing he sees.. In my classes, I talk a lot about the Psychology of Gestalt. In this theory, it’s important for the visual to become an active participant. One of the ways is to have him keep discovering new things in our photographs. The more he discovers the longer he’ll stick around…isn’t that what we want?????

I love the fog and the clouds. It’s a photo that you don’t see very often, and for that reason alone, it works for me!!!  As far as the exposure is concerned, do you ever bracket??? To me, this image is about a stop too dark. When I lightened it everything was brighter without losing the ethereal felling here.

Gary,  in my online class I teach with the PPSOP, and my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind“workshops I conduct around the planet, we work on the elements of visual design and composition. Tension is a very important one. Use it to your advantage and let everyone else be predictable. Stretch your frame of Mind!!!

Thanks for sharing it.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and check out my 2012 workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come work on the elements with me.

JoeB