graphic nature

When I first looked at this image I saw only the subject matter; my daughter in her new walking shoes and our camera shy canine on our evening gratitude walk. But there was something more that was drawing me in. As I studied the image, going beyond the subject matter, I noticed how frame was divided. Do you see it? Yep. There's an uncanny perfect symmetry to the shot that was holding my attention.

Graphic elements like line, shape, repetition, etc. can be highly effective compositional tools in photography and more specifically, graphic symmetry can bring harmony and balance to our imagery.

Have you found balance in a photo you've captured lately? Share something where symmetry made the shot.

no use hiding it

I got an email the other day asking me my opinion about how photographers find their own unique style of photography. Does one happen upon it eventually, perhaps even unknowingly after a certain amount of time behind the camera or should one have a vision in mind and work to achieve it?

It's a really good question and one that has come up a number of times and although I don't think there is any tried and true way to approach it, I do have my suspicions.

I know that over the years I have gone in and out of phases with my own work. I have seen my own preferences and personal tendencies ebb and flow like a creative tides. I've been thrilled with my work and I have been terribly disappointed by it. That's only natural. But one thing is for sure, I absolutely, positively know that my most favorite images are those that come from shooting what I really truly love.

Allowing yourself to shoot whatever moves you, regardless the reason or the outcome can help you to really focus on what your true photographic passions are. It's not always that easy when you're shooting for clients but even still, during the shoot (be it for cash or for yourself) you can feel when it's right; when you lose yourself in your art. And most likely your photographs will reflect that undeniable feeling of shooting your bliss.

If I really thought it was that easy, I'd just tell you to shoot what you love and the rest will follow. But, I know from years of doing this for both a profession and a hobby it's not that easy. Being an artist of any kind takes even more than just passion. Even amidst great satisfaction and unspeakable joy, there are nerves and frustrations, disappointment and self-doubts to battle. Being a photographer takes time, energy, perseverance, patience and an internal force that drives you to want to keep going, keep challenging yourself, keep learning and keep expressing your own point of view. That stuff never goes away and it's not always easy.

But, when you're in your photo-groove, you know it. And when what you get in return are the photographs that sing of what you absoutely, without a doubt love to do. You can't hide it. That's when you see your passions shine and that's when you notice your photographic uniquness emerge.

Have you discovered your favorite subject, angle, perspective? What kind of photography makes your heart happy? No use trying to hide it! Share it instead!

when no comment is needed

A few years back I shared an Ode to Wondertime magazine. I know it's been out of publication for years now but I still remember fondly the very last page where they featured a photo under the title no comment. That was it. Because, there was nothing that needed to be said. The photo alone spoke volumes.

Many of you participate in what they call Wordless Wednesdays already at 5 Minutes for Mom so you know how it goes. No words. No comment. Just a photo...THAT photo that needs nothing else. It can be classic, poignant, whimsical, quirky; it makes no difference. You just know it when you see it.

Today, share your no comment photos with us. Add them to our Flickr pool and be sure to tag them "no comment". Who knows, you might just find your picture that says a thousand words featured right here.

the great balancing act

 

Balance: we all seek it. Yes, in our daily lives. Yes, in our photography. But what does it mean? That answer is probably as individual as we all are. Right now, I'm in a place with my arms outstretched, equally opposed, each hand full of light and dark. Maintaining balance is essential. So, how can looking at the world through our viewfinder teach us more about light and life and how to balance it all into a beautiful photographic package?

We've talked composition before. We've talked white space. We've talked light.

But what of balance? Balance is the feeling your photograph evokes.  Balance is what makes images look and feel harmonious. (And no, not always symmetrical. And yes, you can break the rules.) Balance, composition, space, and light: each one of these elements of photography has a certain amount of value in direct relation to all the other elements. Just like us, they are all connected. Without them the image loses its emotion, the subject falls off the page, the viewer loses interest of the subject, or the moment has passed.

All of this swirled around in my brain as I looked at this blade of grass and wondered, "How do I photograph a single blade of grass?"

More than anything, photography lends me a way to view the world. To seek light, to watch it bounce and flare and reflect. To appreciate the quiet of space and peace. To love the hold-your-breath-wait-for-it *click!* of the sought after image. What I find each and every day is that photography teaches me big life lessons in simple and small ways. I'm thankful for the learning, and I try my best to remember to carry these lessons with me when I am without my camera. This is the zen of photography. 

Today, show me how you find your balance (and not necessarily in the photographic sense, although a well balanced image is always welcome). Can you catch light? Do you get small?  Share with me a favorite moment of yours.

Framing Tells Half The Story

I was late to a live acoustic music show at a little coffee shop, and I found a seat somewhat removed from the other patrons and the band.  During the performance, I happened to glance over to my left, and that's when I saw her, absentmindedly playing with her hair, soaking in the music, with the late afternoon light from the window subtly illuminating her from behind.  Instantly smitten, I turned my lens towards her, carefully composed the shot and clicked.

I am a big fan of shooting from the hip, but for this photo, I was very intentional about the way I arranged the visual elements of the image.  I wanted the viewer to know that I was at a distance from the subject, that most likely she was a stranger, and by framing the shot within an actual environmental border (the dark outline of the wall on the left, the top of a chair below, and the gentleman on the right), there is a sense that I, the photographer, am looking in from the outside.

In post-processing, I actually considered cropping out the dark borders to zoom in more on the subject.  Doing so, however, didn't tell the story I wanted to convey--namely, that this was one of those random encounters with beauty that I often observe admiringly from a distance, hesitant to get any closer for fear that detection of my presence would chase the moment away.  I was glad that I composed the shot as intentionally as I did, because in this case, the framing really does tell half the story, at least for me.

How have you used framing to tell your story?  Have you ever framed your subjects in borders already present in the environment?  Please share with us your images and any tips you may have for framing.

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And come back tomorrow when we announce the new word for our One Word Project for August!