(Playground: Instead of putting many playground facilities in the photo, I shot a part of the monkey bars which looks like a smiling face, befitting the theme of playground)
A fellow photographer’s well-intentioned comment on the composition weakness in a photo of mine inspired me to write about this topic: visual impacts.
The most common weakness a photographer shows in a photo is too much coverage, which reduces the impact of the image. Take for example, it is way too common that the tyros include in a portrait the subject from head to toes. The more aggressive ones will even take in an extensive background. Now, if we look at the photo, the suject is too small to give a due impact . The photographer is now succeeded in producing a rather bland composition with superfluous information in the photo.
It should not be required saying that a close-up is not the single way to enhance the visual impact of a photo. But it is a much better alternative to a “head-to-toes” approach. A close-up can better reproduce the details of the subject and a quicker beat in the image. Such photos usually leave a deeper impression in the viewers’ mind.
(Old and New: I took the whole new building in another shot and it just falls flat in giving me the sense of pressure of development)
For a good close-up needs, I think we need three things to do the trick.
First, we need a zoom lens. To me, 105mm is the minimum. So, maybe for this reason, the next GX300 should extend the lens to a longer focal length without trading off the 24mm. Off course, whenever a photographer can move closer to the subject, do so.
(The Butcher: Getting closer gives a more powerful image)
Second, develop a good sense for a subject as an image with many disintegrated parts instead of a complete whole. Then, try looking for the small parts which can epitomise the whole subject.
Third, think out of the box for the composition. Impose on yourself a renewed way of looking at the same subject every time you see it. Be circumspective in tailoring the image to give the only necessary information.
(Leisure Reading: The composition is simple and tight enough for me to add a sense of leisure and serenity in the photo)
(Chocolate Sticks: The Marco mode comes naturally to photographers for shooting food, the reason, consciouously so or not, being that the composition will be more tight and compact. This magic also applies to other photographic themes. Next time when you take pictures, you may remind yourself the appeal of a tight and compact food image in Marco mode and tigthen up the composition)
The old photos here, here, here and here are examples of this strategy. To summarise this post, I’d use a catch phrase “Frame it tight”, with the “it” being the composition.
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Nevin