The Master Shot
Check out my new workshop on the six concepts in the Psychology of Gestalt: Gestalt Workshop link
Back in the old days, besides being a print photographer for advertising, editorial, and corporate clients, I was also a director/cameraman and worked on TV commercials.
First POV
The first set-up was referred to as the Master Shot. It was like an establishing shot where all the other set-ups from the storyboards were derived from. For me, it was the set-up that triggered my imagination to segue into another POV…and different lighting scenarios if needed.
Well I’ve brought that idea to my online class with the BPSOP where I’ve given as one of the four week assignments. I also talk about it to my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet.
This a great exercise because so many of my fellow photographers walk up to a subject at a particular location, bring up the camera to their eye, take a picture, them move on usually leaving a lot unseen on the table.
Second POV
So, the next time you go out shooting, take a “Master Shot”. This is the first composition you set up before you start looking for other ideas. It’s the first thing you see and shoot before you start “seeing past your first impressions”. It sort of loosens up your thought process. It’s just like stretching before you jog or hitting a bucket of golf balls before you start playing, or taking a few swings in the batter’s cage before your game begins.
Third POV
Then take two or more photos of the same location/subject. These two shots should come to you while you’re taking the first shot…and looking for ways to segue this first photo into a better way to look at it…at the same time. What I don’t mean is to stay in the same position and just zoom in or out in the same composition.
For example:
Up close and personal or back up
Change lens
Up high then down low
Different light
Change a prop
Put in a person, or take one out
Etc.
If you’re diligent about creating a “Master Shot” like I’ve been doing for the past forty-eight years, I can tell you that the results will be immediately seen and your work will move up at least one notch…if not several.
In the photos I’ve featured as examples I show to my classes, the top photo was the “Master Shot”, and the others were different ways of looking at the same subject.
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 some time
JoeB
