Are your photos looking a little tired? Dale R Morris has seven tips to help you refresh your creativity and spice up your images.
Ok, you love photography (you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t) and you love going out and taking images of things. It could be wildlife or buildings that tickle your fancy, or perhaps you have leanings towards landscapes and people.
But are your photographs looking (how can I say this tactfully?) all a bit ‘samey’? You are obeying the rules of composition and getting the exposures in order, but you’re not producing anything that’s particularly original.
You have portraits of elephants from your last trip to Africa, a lovely sunset over Uluru, a pretty girl on the beach and some snow-capped peaks. Maybe there’s even a picture or two of a bird in mid flight. That’s all great but perhaps it’s time to try something different – to start pushing your creative boundaries?
Next time, don’t settle for the images you usually shoot. Why not look for something new and atypical instead.
It may be the shadows cast by a crowd of people on a busy street at sunset, the curl of a flower petal, the reflections from a pool of water or the creases around an old man’s eyes.
You should still be aware of the general rules of composition –‘rule of thirds’, leading lines, patterns, textures and shapes – but keep an eye out for more appealing and unusual angles.
Going for ‘unusual’ or ‘artistic’ shots can be a risky business, but for those who dare the rewards can be fantastic.
Your photo albums become far more varied, you begin noticing details in the world you may not have seen before. You may just find that taking photos becomes more fun too.
So, what should you be looking for?
This story was first published in the Australian Photography + Digital January 2013 issue.
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