Creative Capture - how to get those creative images
Tuesday, September 8th 2009 @ 10:21 AM (not yet rated)
How can we capture those wildly creative images? Is it merely a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right camera settings? Or is it a result of elaborate staging and equipment?
The answer is: sometimes the former, sometimes the latter, and most often a combination of the two. The components that go into a creative image include:
1. Vision
2. Knowledge
3. Application
In other words, creativity requires vision, knowledge, and the ability to apply both to a myriad of scenarios.
By vision, I mean the raw creativity we bring to our craft. It is our ability to see and to imagine that makes us more than mere recorders of history. It is important to nurture that creative spark inside each of us, so that it can ‘catch’ and flame into an idea that is out-of-the-ordinary. We have several articles that help us to let loose our creativity – click HERE for a listing of those articles.
Another way I encourage my own creativity is to look at the works of others. In my living room, I have art books of the works of Edward Steichen, Phillip Stewart Charis, and John Singer Sargent. “Wait,” you may be thinking, “Sargent wasn’t a photographer, he was a painter. “ Correct! But his art has inspired many portrait photographers. (Click here for a link to Sargent books.) We are artists with a unique medium. Look to the artists of other mediums for instruction and inspiration.
I also go onto the internet and check out the recent work of several favorite photographers. Yes, I ‘borrow’ ideas from others. It was T.S. Eliot, the famous poet, who said, “Immature poets imitate. Mature poets steal.”
Next comes knowledge. I may have the greatest idea in the world, but if I don’t know how to use my equipment properly, I can’t create it. That’s why I continue to study the art and craft of photography. Most of us can do miraculous things if we understand the basics of lighting, use of our gear, composition, etc. But we can do much less if we do not.
WARNING - SHAMELESS PLUG: That’s why MyPhotoMentor is so valuable! We provide all the instruction and inspiration YOU need to create wonderful photographic art!
Ahem. Back to creating great art. The last component, application, is often the most difficult. It may require an almost Zen-like state of mind to ‘see’ the potential around us. Let’s look some examples, taken from recent weddings I’ve photographed. I am using examples from weddings because they include both landscape and portrait components, so provide useful examples even if you’re not primarily a portrait photographer.
The photograph of this bride was taken during a brief cessation in the rain that graced us for most of the day. I snuck the couple outside between raindrops for just a few photographs, to take advantage of the architecture of the building. When we had finished, one of the bridesmaids said to the bride, ‘Throw your hands up!” And she did.
So, this is an example of one of those right-place-right-time moments, correct? Well, not quite. If you look at the door behind her veil, you’ll note the tell-tale signs of flash use. (Note: I would remove the flash spots on the door if I were entering this in competition.) The clouds were pretty heavy that day, and the lighting in this outdoor spot was pretty flat. I needed a little flash to provide contrast and depth. Luckily, I’d just finished photographing the couple in that spot, so my equipment was already set.
Otherwise, I would have taken a few minutes to prepare my equipment (camera settings, lighting needs) and then I would have asked her to ‘spontaneously’ throw her arms in the air again. And again. Until I got the image I wanted.
That’s what I did for this shot, actually. However, it was her first, totally spontaneous image that really captured the moment, and is what you see here.
Note the camera angle in the image above. The steps tilt upward to the right. Now, in reality, of course, the steps do not tilt. But this image is much more interesting with creative use of camera angle! And if you don’t think of this while taking the image (as I didn’t)
well, that’s what post-processing is all about. Our creativity doesn’t end when we snap the shutter!
Let’s look at another example.
This was taken at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, WA. The Rose Window dominates the sanctuary, and is an important part of the ambiance, so I wanted an image that showed the impact of this window on the worship space. The bride is studying to be an Episcopal priest, so I also wanted to include the religious elements represented by the baptismal font, the Christ candle and the holy oil.
Here’s what I did: I set up my camera in the balcony, using a wide-angle lens (Tamron 11-18mm - click here). Next, I placed the couple in the center of the triangle created by the holy elements (see the baptismal font in the lower left of the image, the holy oil to the right of the groom, and the Christ candle above the bride’s head) and tilted the camera to include the beautiful Rose Window.
In post-processing I darkened the background a little, and corrected the distortion of the baptismal font which was caused by the wide angle lens. I also removed distracting elements (like the white balcony protruding into the lower right of the image.)
Again, note the tilted camera angle. This was necessary in order to include all the elements that I wanted in this image. Also note the leading lines of the pews, which draw the eye simultaneously to the couple AND to the window. These stylistic elements can be used effectively for outdoor landscape work, too. Imagine standing on a hillside viewing a newly furrowed field or stand of ripe of corn, leading from a farmhouse to a sunset, or….
So, here’s your homework. Read one or more of the articles on creativity. DO the exercises. Then grab your camera and lighting equipment (which may be the flash on your camera – that’s OK!) and look for the artistic moment. Try different angles – the horizon doesn’t always have to be horizontal! And then, post your images on the forum and reference this article, so we can enjoy them with you!
