Tightened up by moving closer
After getting out of college, in the early part of 1970 I moved to Houston. My second job after graduating was with a newly formed advertising agency working as an art director.
One of our clients was Archie Bell and the Drells, and in 1968 they recorded a song called Tighten Up. It was our job to do any graphics and public relationss for them.
I got to know Archie and every once in a while on Siriusxm they play his big hit; which always maks me smile.
Just recently, I was talking to one of my online students with the BPSOP about one of his images he submitted for a critique. Since I had just heard the song, the title of Archie’s song immediately popped into my head; Tighten Up.
What I was talking to the student about was his constant desire to crop his photos, dealing with any problems later sitting in front of a computer.
Let me digress for a moment to say that in my classes there’s no cropping allowed…I want to see their thought process right out of the camera. I tell them that in fifty years of shooting I’ve never, not ever, cropped one of my photos.
Tightened up by changing lens
Btw, I’ve had similar conversations with photographers that join me in one of my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct aound our planet.
If there’s things in your composition you don’t like, deal with them then not later. Having said this, cropping in front of a computer will hone your skills as a digital artist; if that’s your preference. What it won’t do is make you a better photogrpher.
What will make you a stronger photographer is to keep changing your initial composition by making adjustments. Adjustments come in all varieties, but the one that usually offeres the most benefits is to tighten up said composition.
Tighten it up by simply moving in closer, or perhaps changing lens to get rid of superfluous objects or unnecessary people. Using your 15PPP, your Border Patrol, and checking the four corners is the best way to do that.
Remember my fellow photographers, it’s not what you put into your photo that counts, it’s what you don’t put in that matters.
If you’ve never heard the song click on this link. If you do remember and want to remember the good old days click on the link!!
Visit my new website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. I have a spot open for my New York Workshop this Septmber 17th if you want to photograph all five borougs.
JoeB
