center stage

  

There's a small corner of my house that acts as studio and stage for many of my photographic vingnettes. Sliding glass doors to the right give me my main light source. A smaller window on the left offers a burst of fill light, or rim light (pun intended for my mug collection). Dark brown dining room table anchors my frame. A lovely pale blue wall, a china cabinet and cream colored drapes all vie for the backdrop (which I use is dictated by the subject at hand). I use this little area at home almost every day, for morning coffee, as a desk, for family dinner and of course, my photography.

My most recent muse is a loaner-mug. I actually borrowed this sweet tea mug (a la Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) from a friend so I could capture it in "the studio". It deserved a moment in the limelight. 

After capturing it in a number of different ways, it was this shot that felt just right. It's not often that I would choose a perfect centering of my subject. Centered is usually the last compositional technique I resort too. But, in this case, the light that illuminated the mug, the dark, dramatic background, the soft lines accentuated by a shallow depth of field all work together to bring the magic right to center stage.

Sometimes the only way to be is front and center.

Have you framed a shot lately that communicated the same thing? Something that left you no better choice than to reveal it as is, no apologies, smack dab in the middle of your shot? We'd love to see your center stage shots.

Comments

[chris]

You know, I'm going to have to have a cup like that. Now I'm going to have to hit all the CBTL until I find it. ;)

[Kat]

Oh, I love tea and I LOVE that mug. That is the perfect composition for it, to show off the simple lettering.

This one came to mind for me. I only wish it were slightly more perfectly centered. Oh well... :)
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/09/power-of-persistence.html

[Tammy Lee Bradley]

Good Morning, Tracey. Wonderful mug!

http://www.blissandfolly.com/ My morning moment today is mortly centered and hogging the whole frame. Or it may just be that I still need more caffiene.... :) xo tammy lee

[Marcie]

Lately - I've been playing a lot in my home-made studio. Here's one that - as you say - is perfectly symmetrically centered:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/2/24/inside-circles.html

[Jennifée]

Love that mug as well!! :)

I'm having trouble finding the courage to center my subjects, but it's something I'd love to do more of. This is the closest I've come lately; not perfectly centered, but the building is indeed revealed in all its not-very-pretty glory:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5473710022/

[Kelly]

Centering is not my favorite, but sometimes it just makes sense.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cu_tiger/5475202358/

[amy]

there just didn't seem to be any better choice here: http://flic.kr/p/9kL8MX

[justine]

I centered this shot of the ladybird today
http://justinegordon.blogspot.com/2011/02/ladybird-ladybird.html

[AnnGeeDee]

It was dark. I was tired. I had a flashlight and my camera and a few minutes to spare before getting the kids ready for bed. I wandered in our front yard, found this crepe myrtle and tried a number of different contortions before deciding "front and center" was the way to go: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anngeedee/5397403234/in/photostream/

[ELK]

Tracey ..so nice to see this morning.. it is a lovely creamy shot!

a project for 2011 brings them front and center .. each Friday..

http://www.redorgray.com/2011/02/eight.html

[Susan]

I love this beautiful, simple tea cup .... and I noticed on these two photos that they are both front and both center!

http://windrockstudio.blogspot.com/2011/01/miss-mae.html#comments

[Winn]

While your cup is indeed front and centre, just like you said, the highlighted portion -- the light, which appears to be the real subject -- is in the perfect place that fits the rule of thirds. Front and center is tricky, isn't it! It's a great visual trick. I love doing that too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/koreenphotography/5453908592/in/photostream/

[Patti]

While practicing "bokah" I used my favorite oversized mug, because, well----it says it all. The mug isn't quite centered, but the saying is!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22639132@N04/5476550780/

[Kristin]

There is a picture that is caused by accident, because the sun seemed on that day. If on that day the sun shone not, it would perhaps not have noticed me.

http://oneyearofourlifeliundbelle.blogspot.com/2011/02/53365.html#links

[C Blore]

I have a nasty habit of centering my subjects, but there are times like this one that it seems too perfect not too.
http://winnipegweddingphotographybycoral.blogspot.com/2011/02/white-breasted-nuthatch.html

[Renee]

So interesting you post that pic (love the mug, and the light!). Back in January I shot a similar pic of one of my Mom's tea cups, a treasured memory, in my favourite light in my house - the South East facing bow window at my kitchen table. I just loved the simplicity of the setting and the delicacy of the cup...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ravenwoodstudio/5473979693/

[cara]

i actually centered tea too! something about the rest of the elements in the frame made this need to be centered:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cararosephotos/5473216523/

i think the handle of your mug creates a balance that allows that centering to make more sense than it would normally.

[Dotti]

You are so right, Tracey. Some things just beg to be front and center. This is a recent "front and center" photo of mine:

http://www.camperky.com/2011/02/family-heirloom.html

[Denise]

I think sometimes front & center is the only way to to.

My photography professor was adamant about the Rule of Thirds. I once asked him when (if ever) it was okay to put your subject directly in the center. His answer was something along the lines of "When you're a professional photographer and don't care about the 'rules.'" ....I've tried to prove him wrong. I should show him this post and all these comments where front & center works so perfectly!

Anyway, here's one of mine:

http://cupoficedesign.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunrise.html

-Denise

[s.b.Lyngo]

The centering really works with this tea mug image. Honestly, it's helping me to feel centered just to look at it. After a somewhat off kilter week I am grateful to be embraced by the warmth of home. I snapped this image this morning. It is grounding me in my focus. http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/six-pics-p-words-and-vulnerability-from-the-rock/

[laura]

i personally like centering and do use it often I know its one of the rules that you aren't suppose to do but I like to break rules. to me by centeringit it brings it more to the attention and if you have a single item that is what is suppose to be the focal point. recently I did this with my husbands new instrurment a udu. i shot it 30 different ways and finally ended up with this:
http://stampmousephoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/do-you-udu.html

[Kath]

breakfast to go with your tea (where did that mug come from? I want one!)

http://www.soeursdujour.com/2011/02/macro-new-week-monday.html

[tara]

i was itching to know where you found that mug! i love that you borrowed (and centered) it.

[autumn sun]

what a great mug. love it and the photo.
i usually try to stay away from smack in the middle but sometimes the shot just call for that.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5474511918/in/set-72157626167542430/

[Patty]

Definitely...being new to photography I started off centering everything...and then I heard about this 'rule of 3' business so I stopped. But every once in while center is just where it has to be:

http://pmaherphotography.blogspot.com/2011/02/uplift.html

[Judith]

This was great fun to think about --- I'll be back on the site for more challenges and inspirations. Thanks, guys. (Well, sisters!)

https://berkshireviews.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/strawberries-front-and-center/

[tracy]

simply stated + simply beautiful image! centering is what makes this so perfect. great reminder to not be afraid to go there once in a while... thanks!

[Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photo Blog]

Although my boyfriend was kind enough to sacrifice his bonus room so that I could have a photography studio, most of my shots are taken in the kitchen. I love the light in there. The light in my studio is great too; I really need to start using it.

My shots usually fill up the frame; I love that and just giggle when I get advice NOT to do this, but it's my THANG! :) Even if I center the shot, I usually crop down to fill up the space. Like with this one...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlygauthier/5444416779/

But can you blame me? Just look at those eyes. Go ahead, click the link again and check those eyes out!

And this one, because he's my prince and deserves to be center stage; just ask him: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlygauthier/5444426265/in/photostream/