Who gives?

[tevo]

The problem I am facing now with my photos is pulling in the viewer - I am failing (at least I think) to make a connection with them. From a viewer's standpoint, one would ask "Why do I care?" From the Photographer's standpoint, it seems like one should give the viewer a reason to care - and this is my issue. I don't have a clear thought process as to go about sucking in the viewer.


Thoughts/Advice?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Is the subject matter interesting?
Is the lighting interesting?
Is the composition interesting?
Is it processed to bring out the strong points, or to accent the interestingNess?
Is it showing the subject in a manner few have seen or would think of?

 

[tevo]

Is the subject matter interesting?
Is the lighting interesting?
Is the composition interesting?
Is it processed to bring out the strong points, or to accent the interestingNess?
Is it showing the subject in a manner few have seen or would think of?

Seriously considering getting this as a tattoo, lol

 

[cgipson1]

Is the subject matter interesting?
Is the lighting interesting?
Is the composition interesting?
Is it processed to bring out the strong points, or to accent the interestingNess?
Is it showing the subject in a manner few have seen or would think of?

Seriously considering getting this as a tattoo, lol

On your forehead.. in reverse! When you look in the mirror... BAM!

 

[Derrel]

Nudity.

 

[tevo]

Nudity.

Go pay for TPF premium and you can see my winter collection(; (NSFW)

 

[tevo]

Is the subject matter interesting?
Is the lighting interesting?
Is the composition interesting?
Is it processed to bring out the strong points, or to accent the interestingNess?
Is it showing the subject in a manner few have seen or would think of?

Seriously considering getting this as a tattoo, lol

On your forehead.. in reverse! When you look in the mirror... BAM!

Have you seen the movie Memento?

 

[tevo]

What I really mean is, when I am not going out of my way to compose a picture in an artistic way, say I am just taking pictures of an event, or inanimate objects - what types of things should I do to make the viewer care about my photo?

 

[Forkie]

What I really mean is, when I am not going out of my way to compose a picture in an artistic way, say I am just taking pictures of an event, or inanimate objects - what types of things should I do to make the viewer care about my photo?

Think about why you wanted to take the photo in the first place. Ask yourself why you were drawn to it and do whatever is necessary to make other people see it the same way you did. The best way to do this is to find a way to exaggerate the parts of the photo I think are important i.e., colours can be intensified, isolation can be exaggerated with a little though about composition, as can over-crowding - think tight shots with no room for movement.

I have an example here of a photo depicting isolation and romanticism. This was a spur-of-the-moment shot - they were strangers and didn't know I was taking shots of them.

They were in the water for ages with one other person playing with a ball. I had an idea of what I wanted in my head with the tall fountain behind them and basically prayed that I would get two of them on their own (three was a crowd in this case!) and just kept shooting in case anything with all three of them turned out well. I was just lucky that they split up a bit and these two took this "pose"! Whether they are an actual couple or not, I have no idea - they didn't kiss or do anything couple-like the whole time I was watching them.

Basically, the whole thing is exaggerated. They happened to be away from the other guy who was fetching the ball, the guy in shot happened to be kneeling down and was gesturing whilst talking.

I've taken it and blown it all out of proportion by making it appear as if they are on their own in the fountain and that he is giving some romantic speech or potentially even proposing. Nothing of the sort was actually happening and about ten minutes after this was taken, the Police arrived and told them they weren't supposed to be playing in the fountain!

I'm not saying you should go around faking scenarios and making up stories for every photo, I'm just saying that with a little thought and possibly a bit of imagination, there's potential interest and a "story" in all the photos you take.

We see in 3D and experience an emotional reaction to things we see. It's difficult to get the same reaction from a flat image on a 2D screen or piece of card, so we need to exaggerate to produce the same reaction.

Edit: Just as a matter of interest here's an original unedited, unused shot of all three of them.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Nudity.

:thumbup:

Absolutely correct. And it could just be implied or semi-nudity.

What I really mean is, when I am not going out of my way to compose a picture in an artistic way, say I am just taking pictures of an event, or inanimate objects - what types of things should I do to make the viewer care about my photo?

As far as that is concerned, there is nothing you can do. Just be yourself and hope that it is enough. Do you know what phi (the golden number) is? I once did a series of paintings based on that principle to test the validity of the idea that anything designed according to phi would attract the ultimate positive reaction... Let me tell you, total fail!

Now, it could be that my understanding of phi was not quite right. Or it could be that there are just too many people who think black velvet paintings of Elvis are the ultimate art. Or, just maybe, it could be that it is somewhere in between...

All that to say, don't worry, do what you feel like doing and hope that someone likes it.

 

[imagemaker46]

Nudity.

:thumbup:

Absolutely correct. And it could just be implied or semi-nudity.

What I really mean is, when I am not going out of my way to compose a picture in an artistic way, say I am just taking pictures of an event, or inanimate objects - what types of things should I do to make the viewer care about my photo?

As far as that is concerned, there is nothing you can do. Just be yourself and hope that it is enough. Do you know what phi (the golden number) is? I once did a series of paintings based on that principle to test the validity of the idea that anything designed according to phi would attract the ultimate positive reaction... Let me tell you, total fail!

Now, it could be that my understanding of phi was not quite right. Or it could be that there are just too many people who think black velvet paintings of Elvis are the ultimate art. Or, just maybe, it could be that it is somewhere in between...

All that to say, don't worry, do what you feel like doing and hope that someone likes it.

I have to really agree here, photographs or art will never please everyone that looks at them, what is art to one person is crap to another. If the photo generates any kind of emotion, good or bad, you have successfuly created a good image. I've shot images that I thought were great and other people have thorught were very average, didn't matter to me, opinions vary, and always will. Just shoot what makes you happy and see where it takes you.

 

[tevo]

Think about why you wanted to take the photo in the first place. Ask yourself why you were drawn to it and do whatever is necessary to make other people see it the same way you did. The best way to do this is to find a way to exaggerate the parts of the photo I think are important i.e., colours can be intensified, isolation can be exaggerated with a little though about composition, as can over-crowding - think tight shots with no room for movement.

You know, this actually makes a lot of sense - never had this thought process before.

 

[tevo]

I have to really agree here, photographs or art will never please everyone that looks at them, what is art to one person is crap to another. If the photo generates any kind of emotion, good or bad, you have successfuly created a good image. I've shot images that I thought were great and other people have thorught were very average, didn't matter to me, opinions vary, and always will. Just shoot what makes you happy and see where it takes you.

Right, that is true. However I want to be able to invoke emotion in other people with my pictures, and at this point I like my shots but others call them average. What I am focusing on is how to compose a shot that will grab the viewers interest. Maybe that just depends on the subject matter?

 

[dylanstraub]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to post some shots and tell us why you feel they are lacking. And Imagemaker is right "Photographs or art will never please everyone" and some people just don't understand what you are trying to show them. Intent is not obvious sometimes. Keep shooting.

 

[tevo]

flickr.com/theofficialtevo