25 ways to WOW!! A potpourri of ideas and compositional rules to inspire your creativity. By Gary Friedman www.FriedmanArchives.com
By now you’ve read the book, have experimented with all the controls, and you’re comfortable with your digital camera and how to use it. Great! Now let’s stimulate your right brain by addressing creativity. Unlike Appendix B, which provided a cookbook for situations where your camera’s automatic exposure would surely not work right, this booklet is designed to address creativity while safely leaving the camera in “P” (fully automatic) exposure mode (most of the time). Let the camera do what it does best, while you work on developing your eye for composition – what the human does best!
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0. PRE-VISUALIZE! That’s right – this is Number Zero! Technically, this hint doesn’t count as a separate compositional technique because it should ideally be applied to every picture taking situation you find yourself in. It is a mindset, a kind of “zen” which is always a precursor to a photographic masterpiece, no matter which of the techniques in this guide you choose to employ. Hence, the number zero – this applies to everything. Very simply, it is always best to have a mental picture of your final image in your mind before you pick up your camera. Having such an image will easily guide you in terms of composition and exposure, and you will automatically know when you are done shooting. Pre-visualizing your image means your masterpieces aren’t hit-and-miss; but rather they are pre-meditated pieces of artwork. They require fewer exposures to get the intended shot,
Figure 1 – I had this image in my mind before spending an hour trying to create it. To get this shot, I used some bungee cords to strap the camera and a wide-angle lens to my chest, pre-focused, and used continuous shooting mode. Finally, I attached a remote release cord and put it in “Lock” mode so that the camera would take a picture every ½ second without anyone touching it. It took 8 spins and many deleted images to get this one shot.
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so the amount of shooting goes down but your percentage of great shots goes way up. All of the great photographers through the ages have used this technique. So, as you and your camera traverse the world, and as you thumb through this booklet looking for sources of inspiration for your next shot, always be thinking about how the finished image will look enlarged on your wall. If you mentally pre-visualize the final image, your chances of coming up with something magical and memorable will increase significantly! Figure 2 This too was a planned and staged shot. (The best shots often are!) I was in the former Soviet Union, documenting a cultural exchange between Soviet and American high school students. After arriving at the beach at 10:30 PM, I focused on the 3 dancers, using spot metering on the open sky just above the sun. Two shots and I knew I had what I wanted.
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1. Strong, Clean Composition This is very basic, but it’s being mentioned first because it is all too often overlooked and it’s the single easiest thing you can do to improve your pictures right away. The most dramatic shots are often those without clutter – you have a subject, you have a background, and that’s it. Most people only think about the subject when shooting, and only notice distracting background elements once they get home. Compose carefully with an eye for distractions and your photos will end up with more “punch”.
Figure 3 Using the rule of 3rds plus an uncluttered background can make even the most mundane subject suddenly seem photo-worthy.
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Figure 4 This was a strong composition which was made for the cover of an ironworks catalog. I intentionally left space on the top for the company logo and other heading info.
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Figure 5 This was shot taken during a welcome home parade for “our troops”.
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2. Repeating Patterns Recall that in Chapter 6 we discussed how every picture has a subject, and that subject will look best when placed using the “Rule of Thirds”. Well, guess what? Just like every other “rule”, there are exceptions. You can have an image composed entirely of a repeating pattern, and therefore can dispense with a subject altogether. The image in Figure 6 is such an example, as is (are) the red sands shot in Chapter 6. Or, sometimes you can combine rules – have a repeating pattern and add a subject (placed using the Rule of Thirds). Figure 8 proves the validity of this technique, since neither the pattern nor the subject have to be interesting to make the shot effective. ☺
Figure 6 - This is an infinite pattern of an outside wall of a house – made up entirely of bottles.
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Figure 7 - Repeating patterns don’t necessarily require a subject.
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Figure 8 - You can break the monotony if you wish, just make sure your subject is placed using the Rule of Thirds.
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3. Form and Texture This is very similar to the repeating pattern above. Again, no subject is required; the viewer’s eyes are drawn to light and texture only. A shot of pure texture (repeating or not) can be engaging all on its own.
Figure 9 - Light and texture make this shot work.
Figure 10 - A photo showing texture doesn’t have to have a specific subject.
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4. Strong Color Color itself can be used as a subject. The shots on this and the next page show strong color coupled with strong light, which is essential to get the colors to look so bold. There is a downside to relying on this technique too much, though, especially if your goal is to shoot for publication. Your shots should be able to stand on their own as sometimes they will be printed in Black-and-White. Case in point: My China travelogue was recently published in book form, and the affordable version was in black-andwhite. (http://www.lulu.com/content/252740) Nothing makes a photographer cringe as much as seeing their wonderfully colorful work deprived of its brilliance!
Figure 11 - Another example of strong color and bold composition.
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Figure 12 - Strong color (and a repeating pattern – see how it pays to combine rules? ☺) make for high-impact shots.
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5. Creative Blur Not everything has to be “razor sharp” to make it meritorious. You can use blur intentionally to convey action or to provide an emotional feel.
Figure 13 - Light too low to freeze the action? Then try for a sense of motion and grace.
Figure 14 - Using a tripod and shutter speed of 2 seconds, the man’s moving legs seem to disappear while his relatively stable torso remains visible.
Figure 15 - An intentional blur can make for an unexpected shot.
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6. Wait for the right light Light is everything in photography, and the time of day can certainly make a difference between a good shot and a great one. Figure 16 provides some examples. The image shown in Figure 17 (next page) was “good enough”, but I waited an additional 90 minutes for the sun to set and the light to improve. Figure 18 is the result. Often if you’re shooting anything outdoors, there is a time of day when the light on the subject is better than at any other time. And, because cameras are more finicky about light than the human eye, it can really pay to come back at a different time to take a picture that looks noticeably better.
Figure 16 – The best time of day for these pictures was at twilight. I waited for it.
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Figure 17 - Nothing wrong with this shot…
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Figure 18 … but waiting about 90 minutes can make a huge difference in appearance. The right light can make the difference between an OK shot and a really good one.
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7. Selective focus Sure, you know that using a wide f/stop (like f/2.8) will increase the fuzziness of out-of-focus subjects, but what can you do with this knowledge? Highlight your subject when you can’t get an uncluttered background, or lead the viewer’s eye toward the subject naturally.
Figure 19 – Using as large an f/stop as possible (in this case f/2.8), you can force your subject to be the thing your viewer’s eyes naturally gravitate toward.
Figure 20 – Using an 85mm portrait lens set all the way open at f/1.4, a very narrow depth-offield can be realized so only a part of the face remains in focus. (This is an extreme example… but it does draw the viewer’s eye to where you want!!)
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8. Alter your Point of View Sometimes just moving a few feet left or right will make a world of difference! At a higher level, here is the procedure I use when I’m faced with a challenging subject: 1. First, I just take a shot. 2. Then I think about how to make it better. Tweak the exposure? Better composition? Try moving left or right for a better point of view or less distracting background. 3. Then I go for an “out-of-the-box” shot and try to think of something completely different. Sometimes it doesn’t work; but at least you have some options to choose from.
Figure 21 – It looked OK when I looked at it, but when I snapped this picture from my own point of view, the subject got lost in the background.
Figure 22 – Just a slight change of position – in this case,, getting down on the ground and shooting upward – saved the shot and allowed the unusual heart-shaped branch ends to be clearly visible..
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Figure 23 – The creative sequence involved in trying to find a good composition for this interesting statue. The procedure is: 1) Get the shot 2) try and make it better 3) try for something unusual. After you’re done, your first images often seem kind of boring.
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9. An Earthworm’s Perspective If your creative juices aren’t flowing adequately, consider what the world looks like from the point of view of an earthworm. In short, get down on the ground and get dirty!
Figure 24 – A windmill as seen from below.
Figure 25 – This was a photo of a children’s playground slide as seen from the ground. The underside was lined with mirrors, which from this angle reflects the sand beneath it. A strange shot indeed!
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10. Off With Their Heads! Unintuitive as it may seem, in some situations it’s OK to cut off the tops of people’s heads when taking photos. This technique is very effective when you’re doing intense portraits where you really want to concentrate on the person you’re photographing. Three examples are presented below.
Figure 26 – Close-cropping, even if it’s cutting back on your subject, can actually make the picture more engaging.
Figure 27 - More examples..
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Vanishing Point and parallel lines
The concept of converging lines, usually associated with distance and “going on forever”, is a useful visual trick for guiding the eye as it wanders through your image.
Figure 28 - .Tracks in the Sand. In this image, after first catching the user’s attention, the eye is naturally drawn to the bottom center and then goes straight up. EVERYONE’s eyes will do this. (Yours just did!)
Figure 29 -.A classic exercise in perspective, where the buildings and the people all shrink as they get closer to the vanishing point (past the left edge in the picture).
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Frames within Frames
Sometimes you can include a frame within your picture, which then frames your subject.
Figure 30 - .Frames will naturally draw the viewer’s eyes to your subject.
Figure 31 - One of the Smithsonian buildings framed by a local piece of artwork.
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13. Pan with the action This is a classic technique used by just about every racing photographer on the planet. Usually the rule is “Use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action of things that are moving fast”. However, with a little bit of practice and skill, you can go for this very dramatic effect. The trick is to shoot at a slower shutter speed – say, 1/30th or 1/15th of a second – and move the camera along with your subject so that the subject remains at the center of the picture during the exposure. Because the camera is moving, the background will appear blurry, but because the subject is not moving relative to the picture, it appears to be sharp. This is not an intuitive technique, and in order to make it work properly you should practice holding the camera perfectly steady while you twist your upper body fast enough and smoothly enough to track your moving subject.
Figure 32 -.Panning with the subject using a slow shutter speed can really grab attention. Every racing photographer employs this technique.
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14. Show animals in action Having animals actually doing something (as opposed to simply having a stoic portrait) makes for a more engaging shot.
Figure 33 - .Animals are always more interesting when they’re in action. This shot used a 200mm lens, a fast shutter speed (1/1000th of a second) and a flash.
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15. Dramatic skies and wide-angle lenses Normally landscapes using a wide angle lens can be quite challenging, especially since there’s likely no subject, and wide angle lenses will often minimize whatever subject you do have if they’re not carefully placed. This is one reason taking eye-catching pictures of the Grand Canyon can be very, very difficult. Using wispy clouds as a subject and placing the horizon using the Rule of 3rds (that’s becoming a recurring theme, isn’t it?) saved the shot in the top half of Figure 34, which could easily have been just another boring snapshot.
Figure 34 - .Using a wide-angle lens to highlight the clouds in an otherwise plain (and boring) landscape.
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16. False Perspective There are many ways to take advantage of the 2-dimensional nature of photographic images. Whereas in three dimensions we can ascertain depth, in 2D the distance information is gone and we can do some clever things that involve transposing distance and size.
Figure 35 - Take advantage of the fact that in 2D you can’t really tell how far away something is. Don’t forget to use a small f/stop (like f/11 or f/22) to ensure that both subjects are in focus.
Figure 36 – ‘Whoa! That guy’s holding the Taj Mahal!” These kinds of shots are called “Forced Perspective”.
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17. Anticipate the Action As mentioned in the book, there are two ways to get that “Luck shot”. The first (and most prevalent) is “Shoot 1,000 images and hope for the best”. (Regretfully many Olympic photographers have become guilty of this, because of the pressures of their assignment.) The other is “Shoot with both eyes open and anticipate what’s going to happen next”. Being ready for the shot makes all the difference.
Figure 38 – Anticipate what’s going to happen so you won’t have to wait for your camera to catch up. Figure 37 – Bottom of the 9th and bases loaded, I knew that shooting the audience at the time the suspense broke would be more interesting than the game itself. I moved down a few rows and waited 10 minutes to get this shot.
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18. Tell only part of the story and leave people guessing These kinds of images are more difficult because they require a little more thought beyond the standard compositional rules. A single image is, in effect, the most brief form of storytelling. With the example in Figure 40 I wanted to evoke a reaction; to get people to think about the story that was being presented. I did NOT want people to say, “Gee, what a beautiful image!” Instead, they all said, “Where’s the rest of her?!”
Figure 39 - .What are the first three things you think when you see this shot?
Figure 40 - .EVERYONE who sees this shot says “Where’s the rest of her?” And that’s exactly the reaction I wanted to invoke.
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19. Silhouettes If there’s any technique that I’m guilty of overusing, it’s probably the combination of sunset shots with silhouettes placed according to Rule of Thirds. An example appears in Figure 42; but many more can be found in my sunsets gallery (www.FriedmanArchives.com/Sunsets - case sensitive!). Although all images in that gallery use exactly the same compositional formula, everyone who sees it usually blurt out “Wow!” (My goal of “Wow!” has been achieved!!)
Figure 41 – Yet another successful combination of sunset, silhouette, and Rule of Thirds.
Figure 42 – Yet another example. A whole gallery of these kinds of shots can be found in my Sunsets gallery online.
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20. Zooming in during exposure Here’s a technique that was very impressive before the days of Photoshop. For the shot below I put my camera on a tripod and took a long exposure to capture the cityscape from a mountain top. The exposure was about 30 seconds long, but during the last 10 seconds I turned the zoom ring on my lens very slowly. The result was that only the brightest parts of the cityscape registered during this zooming period, etching bright lines onto the image. A very cool effect!
Figure 43 – Taking a time exposure, and then zooming in during the last 10 seconds, can yield a very impressive cityscape.
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Orchestrate your shot
When I was just starting out in photography, I thought it was unethical to stage shots, especially when you’re doing National Geographic-type documentary and travel photography. Guess what? All the best photographers employ this technique at one time or another, and it almost always results in the most eyecatching images. I no longer am a purist in this regard (although I still seek to keep all computer retouching to a minimum).
Figure 45 – “Hi! Could you please sit on that bench for just a minute while I take your picture?”
Figure 44 – A pre-arranged shot of dorm residents at twilight.. I had the students hold perfectly still for about 10 minutes, while I took several bracketed shots
Figure 46 – Another example.
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22. In-your-face shots with a fisheye lens. There is a special class of wide-angle lens called a “fisheye” lens, named so because of its ability to distort what’s in the frame of view (similar to how we think a fish sees). These lenses are most often used in shots to convey massiveness (Figure 47) and for eerie-looking portraits taken at close range (Figure 48). (If you’ve ever wondered what was the big deal about portraiture lenses, the fastest answer is “because they do the opposite of this.” ☺)
Figure 47 – “Architectural shots using fisheye lenses tend to distort everything, especially in the corners.
Figure 48 – An unusual portrait taken with a fisheye lens standing about 1 foot away from the subject.
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Get up extra early
This doesn’t require much explanation. Morning time is a magic time of day. Get up, walk around, and see what you find!
Figure 49 – The early bird catches the worm using the most beautiful light of the day.
Figure 50 – An un-staged shot taken at the waterfront at sunrise.
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Get playful with shadows and Silhouettes
Figure 51 Up in the Ozark Mountains s there is a giant statue of Jesus. Although a picture of the statue by itself might have been OK, two friends who imitated the statue made the final image a bit more playful.
Figure 52 – Hey, what’s a shadow for if you can’t have some fun with it??
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25. Whistle While You Work When taking pictures of toddlers or animals, use a whistle! You know, the kind referees use. Keep it in your mouth and only blow it after you’ve properly composed and have locked focus on your subject. If it’s a rare sound it will get their attention every time!
Figure 53 - Blow a whistle when you’re ready for your subject to have that alert look….
Figure 54 - …or when you’re ready to have your subject have that “Hey… are you talking to me?” look.
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Thank you for purchasing this booklet! I hope this booklet stimulated your right-brain creative thinking – the most important ingredient in great photography. Remember, when it comes to photography, the best place to be is usually wherever you are, so explore your environment in a whole new way and don’t be afraid to experiment! Sincerely, -Gary Friedman www.FriedmanArchives.com
