Obviously, things like exposure and basic composition are very important in photography. But the little details in a photograph that are less obvious can also make or break a picture. Training the eye to spot those little details in camera while taking the photos instead of when looking back at them a few days later is a vital skill that can take a lot of time and effort to achieve. But when it is attained, it can make your photographs more mature (Peterson 220).
Little details can be things like a distraction in the background, a slightly tilted horizon line, the subject blocking something in the background, and so on. It's important that photographers have an eye that will "pick up places where just a minor shift may lead to a major and positive change in the photograph's overall appeal" (Peterson 219). In the first image on the left, the horizon line wasn't quite straight. In the second image, the horizon line is rotated a tiny bit so that the whole composition looks straighter and more even.
Another example of small yet important details are in these two photographs of snowflakes. In the first image, the snowflake is composed on the reflection of the cloudy sky, which doesn't provide a lot of contrast for the snowflake's detail to show up. In next image, I shifted the camera over slightly so that the snowflake would be on the reflection of the tree, which made the snowflake's detail sharper. I also used a vertical composition because it cut out the partial tree on the left, which was a distraction.
What other small changes can be made to a photograph that create a big impact? Let me know in the comments below!
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| Snowflakes up close and personal :) |
Amazing blog post Kayla! This technique really interests me as I am trying to be a better photographer. In my opinion, darkening and lighting up a picture also can make a big impact into a picture as it describes the situation better in a picture. I am wondering what should be the main component you should be focusing on in a photo?
ReplyDeleteThanks Anish! The main component to focus on in a photo should always be the subject, or what the eye is drawn to first, because that is the most important part of the photograph. More specifically, the way the subject is composed is best to focus on. Have fun working on your photography!
DeleteI really enjoyed your blog Kayla. Your topic is a little bit similar to mine because in my topic I talk about how a yo-yo can get someone motivated, creative and to look at things with a different type of perspective just like what you are doing in your post. You are showing us how to look at things differently just like what I am doing in my blog posts. Would you say that being detailed is the same as seeing things with a bigger idea?
ReplyDeleteThank you Edward! I think that being detailed and seeing the big idea are certainly tied together, and both are equally important, but I don't think they are the same thing. Seeing the big idea is looking at the meaning behind the photograph, while looking at the details is looking at the art and composition of the photograph.
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