I teach an online class with the BPSOP, and I conduct my “Stretching Your Frame of Mine” workshops all over the place. My approach to creating stronger photos is knowing and teaching all the Elements of Visual Design, and being able to see them occurring naturally in the environment that surrounds us; using the right side of the brain to do it.
Texture, Pattern, Form. Balance, Shape, Color, and the most important element of all…Line. There are those out there that consider Space as one. Space refers to Negative and Positive space.
If I’m out walking the streets with someone in my workshop, I’m constantly looking for these elements and if I can create a visually interesting photo with one or more elements in it, I’ve got a good chance in taking my image what I refer to as “up a notch”.
Sometimes I see the design element first and wait for something interesting to happen, and sometimes I see the background first and wait for something interesting to happen.
In the above photo, using the right side of my brain the creative side, I saw the triangles and the perfect diamond. It was too good to pass up so I decided to wait to see if I was going to get lucky.
I was ready when I got lucky
BTW, Eddie Adams, a famous Pulitzer Prize winner once said, “When you get lucky, be ready”. Sure enough, I was set up and waiting, and waiting, and waiting and got tired of waiting so I saw a manfriend and had him walk through my frame. If I don’t see what I want, I photograph what I’d like to see???
In the bottom photo, I saw the pattern of the trees, and fifteen minutes later this sailboat a.k.a. triangle came into my frame…BINGO!!!
Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime and we’ll use the right side of our brain.
JoeB
