Chopping Heads

The above photo was an accident. I intended to capture Roxy's whole body, but because I wasn't looking through the viewfinder I chopped off the top of her head. But I actually really like it. I realize now that some of my favorite photographers go around taking headless pictures all the time and I am often really drawn to those photos. But it had never occurred to me to do it on purpose until I took this one. I think there's a certain element of mysteriousness to a photo that is cropped below a person's (or animal's) eyes. What's the first thing you typically look at in a portrait? The eyes, right? I know I do. So when that element is taken away, you are forced to take notice of other details.

Most "old school" photographers would tell you to never, ever cut off someone's head in a photo. But I don't really care what they say. And think I'm going start experimenting with this a little more. I did some poking around Flickr to find some good examples. Although, let me encourage you to never search Flickr with the words "chopping heads". I am still scarred from that. However, after looking through the streams of some of my own contacts and the Shutter Sisters pool I quickly found what I was looking for.

Our own Tracey, chops heads all the time with great success! And I see lots of maternity photos taken from the neck down. It's a great way to focus on those big beautiful bellies.

Here are some more of my favorite headless portraits:

Beebee Mod 

Emily (RWP) 

strawberrygoldie 

camerashymomma 

I could go on, but I'll stop there for now because I want to hear from you. How many of you find yourself cropping heads out of photos and how often do you do it on purpose? Of course, I'd love to see examples!

Comments

[Marcene]

I got one just today! I wouldn't have cropped it like this but it was the "best" shot for today...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21008348@N03/2415458286/

[Sam]

I just love this pictures I took today, fit perfect!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/2414792841_f8eff3ca95_o.jpg

[calissa]

Oh my goodness, I only found TWO pics (out of my whole photostream) where a face was intentionally not showing. I'm gonna start looking for these kinds of unique shots! Cropped heads, never thought of it as a *good* thing before, but after having seen the pics you've shared, I'm changing my mind.
Here are my two....

This was one of the engagement pics I shot for my brother...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marycalissa/526464048

And this one is already in Shutter Sisters pool, but remains one of my very favorites!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marycalissa/2157856811

[MereMortal]

actually, your very own talented sarah-ji has one of my recent favs! http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/2412616198/

[camerashymomma]

thanks for the props! i do alot of non-viewfinder photo shooting to get down below things or look up at angles i just cannot contort to. sometimes you get the pleasant accidental head chop like your sweet kitty (or the intentional like you mentioned to draw your eyes to a different focal point) i love how your photo draws me into the paws!

[mel from freak parade]

I really like the picture of Roxy too. The crop as it is makes it more interesting.
I do a lot of head chopping...both intentionally and unintentionally. These were both done on purpose.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/muckyyuck/2330089609/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/muckyyuck/2330914876/

[laura plouzek]

This is one of my favorite techniques! It used to drive my Mother nuts when I was taking portraits of my siblings... she didn't know that it was intentional. People still don't always get it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilinglaura/499871071/in/set-72157594455845702/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilinglaura/1406147294/in/set-72157594455845702/

sometimes, this is exactly what is needed to tell the story.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilinglaura/525082146/in/set-72157603849219080/


wonderful photos everyone! hugs!

[Marcie]

There are times when there is no need for 'head's. I think this tells the whole story:


http://marciescudder.blogspot.com/2007/06/rites-of-passage.html

[Anke]

Mmmh,that is really interesting, I do a quite a lot without even realizing....now I know though;) So here are some examples, smiles, Anke ;)


http://ankemartin.blogspot.com/2008/04/shutter-sisters-chopping-heads-in-photo.html#links

[pooky]

Well, I chopped my head off here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowpooky/2264036274/
And here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yellowpooky/2244685329/

In other photos there are parts of my head that are not visible...in flickr you won't find a picture of me (or of anyone else I photograph) where you can see 100% of the face. I do this on purpose!

[kristen]

i love these types of photos - i think they convey so much:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/2413827550/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/2383055674/in/set-72157604097569872/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acumamakiki/2359806366/in/set-72157604097569872/

[Melissa (aka Photomom86)]

I like doing this but usually only when I'm trying to focus on body parts or activities that don't include the facial expression. It give the pictures a different mood. Here is one I already had in the Flickr Pool.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2314099735_52c2923ea9.jpg

[Lawyer Mama]

I like to focus on other body parts, but I don't think I've ever intentionally cut someone off at the neck. Although now I'm going to have to try it!

http://flickr.com/photos/lawyermama/2353570190/in/set-72157604204144334/

[Tracie]

This is a fun one! I am enjoying looking at all of these. And I love that kitty.

Here is my chopped head. I like to shoot photos of my kids on the trampoline. The most interesting stuff happens when the subjects are flying around in front of me. This is my 5 year old flouncing and bouncing for the camera.

http://tracienolesross.com/sketchbook/?p=123

[Heather]

Paige, thank you for the link! :)

Now, off to look at other headless photos...

[Erin (Green Eyed Girl)]

Here are two of mine!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erinfayephotography/2338343075/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erinfayephotography/2362785388/

[Lyn]

I actually love this technique -- and looking back at my Project 365+1 blog, I see that I do it fairly regularly! I didn't realize how many times the "head or other body part" chop shot turns out to be my favorite or most representative pic of the day.

I first started noticing this way of focusing in when I met and worked a bit with a wedding photographer in NYC, and she used to take quite a few of these kinds of shot of the bride and groom -- focus on the hands reaching for each other, the bouquet, the details of the dress, rings, and so forth. I think the details are so moving -- and the shots are just beautiful. One moment -- one detail at a time.

Here's one of my recent favorites. And yes, my own mother had a tiny little fit about it! I don't think she approves! :)

http://lynlepre.typepad.com/lifeinpajamas/2008/03/33108.html

[jenn]

There is another really good group on flickr called Utata ( http://www.flickr.com/groups/utata/ or http://www.utata.org ) which poses challenges to it's members. The current "Iron Photographer" project involves a headless portrait. I'm sure there will be some good ones there (it's another talented group)

My contribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennemmer/2405966602/

[Ginny]

Took this fun one over the weekend-

http://monkeymemories.blogspot.com/2008/04/shutter-sisters-chopping-heads.html

I posted these the other day but they just capture the fun of the moment without showing my little guy's entire face-

http://monkeymemories.blogspot.com/2008/04/shutter-sisters-new-perspective.html

[Sarah - Ji]

I admit I don't chop heads very often, and will have to try it out myself.

My favorite shot from a recent shoot did happen to be a chopped one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/2412616198/

I think I really liked this shot because it accentuates Cadence's roaring mouth, which goes well w/ the rest of the shot.

[emily]

what a great feline foto! my eye is drawn to her nose and whiskers...she looks like a queen! i can't wait to experiment with this chopping heads idea...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girl_seeking_grace/2366901553/

[Shelli]

I do this quite a bit. I'm sure my family looks at them and thinks they are terrible! ha ha.

http://www.mamaofletters.com/Mama_of_Letters/Camera_Happy.html#19

I also posted one on the 12th that you can see in my picture album.

[Amber Ulmer]

Hi Hi! I shoot this one last weekend in our most recent session!
http://ulmerstudios.typepad.com/photos/katie/img_0846.html

TFL!

[Jen]

Thanks so much Paige for including me and my headless child! :)

[Jennifer]

Fun pictures! I took a headless one a few weeks ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/veridianblue/2415682299/

[Andie]

Here's mine: "Make a Wish" http://www.flickr.com/photos/21551925@N05/2415691209/

[Julie]

Here's mine (scroll down to the last photo!)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliestew/516667/

[mary catherine]

Here are some of my intentionally headless composures...I love doing this to catch details on special days. These are all from weddings! :)

http://marycatherinehamelin.squarespace.com/journal/off-with-their-heads.html

[littlepurplecow]

I rarely chop heads intentionally, but I captured this one the other day by accident and like it very much. I was so focused on the action of her hands.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlepurplecow/2406918440/

Love the depth of foreground in your kitty image. This composition works so well.

[simply]

A happy accident :o)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22779383@N08/2416000623/

~simply~

[cotterpin]

The same thing happened to me recently in the first photo of the series on my blog! Turned out kind of nice though...

http://cotterpinhouse.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/tread-on-me/

[cotterpin]

The same thing happened to me recently in the first photo of the series on my blog! Turned out kind of nice though...

http://cotterpinhouse.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/tread-on-me/

[toyfoto]

flickr's tedfoo made me do this.

http://flickr.com/photos/toyfoto/190271574/

but I crop heads all the time anyway.

[ginna]

I never used to leave people's heads out, but I love to do it now. Like you say, it really gives a different feel to the photo--sometimes much more interesting.

This is by far my most successful example to date!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnahendricks/2280381957/in/set-72157604041521564/

[Karen G]

I often leave off someones head in a picture. Sometimes by accident, sometimes intentionally.

This weekend it was on purpose, at breakfast:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23132596@N07/2417263142/

[natala]

so much fun..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atheart/2416443591/

[Lauren]

My grandmother was famous for this when she was alive. :)

http://www.thingsicarry.com/memoir/2008/4/15/chopping-heads.html

[Kathleen]

I love all of the Shutter Sisters' challenges!
Here's a birthday boy sans most of his head...I like the eye.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630286@N05/2416515303/

[Trude]

I couldn't agree more! Think Tara Whitney and Elsie Flannigan too. :) I really loved how this one of mine turned out - no post-cropping at all! Such a proud moment for me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/2342905497/

[Shalet]

I love head chop photos but don't do often. Here's one I did recently.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peculiarmomma/2386579728/

[Jane]

Here is one with my daughter and her stuffed pet. The writing is her contribution to a Tuesday Slice Of Life challenge.
~jane

http://janeswanson.blogspot.com/2008/04/jaimees-tuesday-slice-scruffy.html

[Shelly]

I took this picture a few weeks ago. It fits with todays subject rather nicely!

http://scenesfromeverydaylife.blogspot.com/

[kristin]

here is mine today...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2417682994/

[Emily]

Thanks for the linking to me as an example ladies! I love, love, love headless shots, glad I am not along.

[Paige]

Wow, you guys! I didn't realize there would be so many head croppers among us. I haven't even gotten through all the links yet but there are some great examples here! Thanks for participating.

[Leah G]

I took this photo last fall. When I did it, though, I was more focused on the feet -- the lack of heads on them was purely coincidental. (I still think it's a fun photo.)

http://flickr.com/photos/80585094@N00/1753119187/in/set-72157601807101011/

And one of my favorite head choppers is 10 cent designer. She's always cutting off the heads of her subjects. (But always ends up with absolutely amazing shots.)

http://flickr.com/photos/theproletariatdesigner/2401806928/in/set-72157600885932418/

[Rachel Parton]

My cousin's husband took this picture of her and me at my wedding. I love it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25753692@N06/2420067506/

[Janine]

A friend told me about this blog... love it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25744047@N03/2420265172/

and different kind of "chopping heads"...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25744047@N03/2419450873/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25744047@N03/2420264982/

[Wendy]

After reading your post I tried this myself. http://wendesu.typepad.com/square_one/2008/04/counting-it-all.html
Thanks for the cool tips. Wendy

[Rachel]

I love the chop heads off!!! I like the anonymity of it.