Think like an Artist
Think like an Artist of creative expression in photography
When you decide you want to improve your photography you have actually taken the first step towards improving, you already recognise your current position, that means you’re already thinking about the process.
When it’s time to improve on your photography a change of thinking may all that’s needed.
Creativity is a journey, and this journey’s is a walk filled with wonder and exploration a process by which we are constantly looking and observing what we see.
When you decide you want to improve your photography you have actually taken the first step towards improving, you already recognise your current position, that means you’re already thinking about the process.
When it’s time to improve on your photography a change of thinking may all that’s needed.
Creativity is a journey, and this journey’s is a walk filled with wonder and exploration a process by which we are constantly looking and observing what we see.
Think different
If everyone thinks the same we end up with more of the same, artists who think differently are sometimes criticised because they don’t follow the norm. Without thinking differently we wouldn’t have Picasso, Pollock, Warhol, Hirst, Van Gogh, Duchamp along with other lateral thinking abstract and surrealists that would be a great loss.
The following points are targeted to wildlife and nature photography but are relevant to many genres of photography. If you only do one of these you will improve
Isolate and emphasise
It’s one of the best pieces of advice, the importance of a subject in your image may sound obvious, but when you start thinking about ways to isolate your subject from clutter and chaos you will start to relook at your photography.
No subject?
What happens if you have no specific subject? Then look at compositional lines and shapes to lead a viewer through your image, this makes it interesting and brings order to an image.
Rules learn them and break them
We hate rules but they are there for a reason, think of them as short cuts to success then when we know why it works we can liberate ourselves and think more about what image you are trying to achieve.
Think aspect ratios
1:1 4:5 4:3 16:9 there are options some cameras have crop/aspect ratio profiles look at how a 1:1 crop looks like, try and experiment with these when thinking about your image composition. Your camera will still capture the full scene but the composition of the crop you chose will work because that’s how you viewed it, no guess work.
Step back
Most photographer have a default stance, stepping into position bringing the camera up and framing, if you do the same every time you’re missing out. Try reseting step back change your POV reframe and access is it better or worse? Doing this in various ways you will see alternative views and gain important knowledge.
Go in close
When everything seems chaotic, with to many distractions, interferences and your subject is lost then move in closer for a tighter crop, isolate and emphasise. This changes everything, your cluttered background now becomes an out of focus background.
Composition it matters
Framing and composition seems natural put if you find your photos all look the same with different subjects you may need to look at different compositions, leading lines, flow of an image, story telling.
Make the image not just take the shot
There is a case for record shots where accuracy and including the environment is important. Shooting items in isolation removes the environment, there is a place for these shots but not every shot needs to be a record. There are artistic interpretations and contrived shots that you are in control of. Making an image requires more than just a record shot, it may tell a story, focus on details, changing the way we see something the concept is very interesting.
Fieldcraft observe and study
If we take time to listen and observe a subject (after a quick never to be missed opportunity) we can learn from it, it’s traits, actions, and peculiarities as most thing in life have a pattern.
Patience
We are all in a rush to take the photograph, then we take another just incase. This ends up with multiple shots of basically the same thing.
Anticipating the next move is where you plant the shot you want and wait when it comes together then is your opportunity to get that sought after shot (think of a kingfisher diving). What happens when it doesn’t happen? Impatience makes us give up, but perseverance wins when the moment happens you are ready.
Critique?
Should you ask for critique, well it’s a yes and a no situation. The person offering you critique is their opinion not necessarily good advice. Seeking critique can do more harm than good, it can break what’s unique about you, having to conform to some one elses ideas rather than you developing your own.
Your own individuality is important and is worth holding onto.
The Next step
Research a wide range of sources and if you use these points as a search you will start to bring knowledge and understand better also you will see confections again it’s a learning exercise.