Making a WOW Photo
Dec 27, 2013 09:49:44 #
CHOLLY wrote:
Too simplistic.
IF you don't understand context, syntax, grammar, or sentence construction, all the feelings in the world won't communicate ANY ideas at all.
Photography is both art AND science.
But in order to be fully expressive in your art, you MUST understand the science.
That, good sir, is a concept that is NOT so hard to understand or comprehend. ;)
IF you don't understand context, syntax, grammar, or sentence construction, all the feelings in the world won't communicate ANY ideas at all.
Photography is both art AND science.
But in order to be fully expressive in your art, you MUST understand the science.
That, good sir, is a concept that is NOT so hard to understand or comprehend. ;)
Inspiring discussion. Never being one to just getting my toes wet, when I latched on to photography shortly after retiring, I studied the basic elements and principles of design intensely. I learned and am still learning these because they apply to all types of artistic expression. I practiced them for two years mostly by choosing one aspect for however long it took me to truly feel comfortable with how to incorporate it effectively in the image. For example, are there leading lines available in how I compose the shot that would draw the viewer (and me) to the subject. Or, is what I am seeing and feeling as I stop to compose the shot about patterns and textures? If so, what do I need to do to enhance the composition.
It is one thing to see a compelling image and another to make it. When the seeing and the making come together, sometimes I get a WOW photograph. One more thought worth sharing because I am curious if others can relate to this---When every thing comes together, the feeling I get is akin to the feeling I get when I am target practicing and I know I've hit the bullseye as soon as I pull the trigger before seeing the actual target. This exact same feeling/knowing happens to me when I press the shutter button on a WOW photo. It is an amazing rush and stirs my passion.
Dec 27, 2013 09:52:43 #
A great book that has helped me is Understanding Composition by Bryan Peterson! In it he talks about the elements of composition and how to see them in a scene, check it out, it has helped me.
Dec 27, 2013 09:55:01 #
connievloutely
Loc: Quaker State (PA)
For me (I photograph landscapes) I look for scenes I like and then take shots from many different angles.
When I get home I usually do not like any of the shots. I put them aside. I go back about 6 to 12 months and look at them again. At this point I like some of them.
My problem is what "I" saw and what the camera saw are not the same.
Does this make sense to anyone?
When I get home I usually do not like any of the shots. I put them aside. I go back about 6 to 12 months and look at them again. At this point I like some of them.
My problem is what "I" saw and what the camera saw are not the same.
Does this make sense to anyone?
Dec 27, 2013 10:08:36 #
connievloutely wrote:
For me (I photograph landscapes) I look for scenes I like and then take shots from many different angles.
When I get home I usually do not like any of the shots. I put them aside. I go back about 6 to 12 months and look at them again. At this point I like some of them.
My problem is what "I" saw and what the camera saw are not the same.
Does this make sense to anyone?
When I get home I usually do not like any of the shots. I put them aside. I go back about 6 to 12 months and look at them again. At this point I like some of them.
My problem is what "I" saw and what the camera saw are not the same.
Does this make sense to anyone?
Makes a lot of sense. Landscapes are hard. Ansel Adams got most of his results in darkroom working with multiple exposures (basically HDR)
The way the eye sees light and the way the camera sees it are very different. The human eye is much more complex and is constantly adapting different parts of the field of view. The camera can't do that in a single exposure.
Dec 27, 2013 10:12:51 #
Pepper wrote:
One person's WOW is another persons ho humm. If the shot moves the soul or stirs emotion then in my opinion it's a WOW shot. Again what stirs one may put another to sleep. If the scene or subject moves you then try and capture it and if it moves another then you've captured a WOW moment. Just because a shot doesn't WOW everyone who views it doesn't mean it's not a WOW shot. So look for those things that move you or stirs your soul.
agree
Dec 27, 2013 10:23:20 #
Old Veteran
Loc: Georgia
Wow, I have found or got a few shots that could be wow. A few of them happened simply because I was there at the right moment. Some were "made" by scouting areas and noticing how the light works on the scene. A single place could seen in different seasons; the time of day. If you are asking about creating a wow photo through the use of a computer program, you would still need to have somewhat of a wow photo.
Back in the early nineties, I use to read a pro photographer's column about "how to" when it came to finding the wow shot. His most famous shot was taken, I believe in Nepal. He had climbed up a mountain to take a photo of a monastery and when he reached the top; there in front of him the monastery with a rainbow arching over it and there was a lot of clouds and through the clouds was a "beam" of sunlight hitting the monastery. It was a wow shot that he just lucked into. But his words of "looking" at the light and how it made the scene looked was the one thing that helped me a lot. :D
Back in the early nineties, I use to read a pro photographer's column about "how to" when it came to finding the wow shot. His most famous shot was taken, I believe in Nepal. He had climbed up a mountain to take a photo of a monastery and when he reached the top; there in front of him the monastery with a rainbow arching over it and there was a lot of clouds and through the clouds was a "beam" of sunlight hitting the monastery. It was a wow shot that he just lucked into. But his words of "looking" at the light and how it made the scene looked was the one thing that helped me a lot. :D
Dec 27, 2013 10:29:21 #
BrettOssman wrote:
One thing I'm trying to learn is to see a WOW photograph, before I even shoot it. Not as easy as it may sound, at least in my case.
Thought I'd start a discussion on this topic. There are no right or wrong answers here, IMHO. This is totally subjective.
When you are out shooting, what do you look for to create a WOW photo vs. a snapshot or commonplace photo?
Let's start here and see where this goes.
Thought I'd start a discussion on this topic. There are no right or wrong answers here, IMHO. This is totally subjective.
When you are out shooting, what do you look for to create a WOW photo vs. a snapshot or commonplace photo?
Let's start here and see where this goes.
Good question, Brett. When I don't have a specific subject in mind, I just 'browse' and wait 'till something strikes my fancy. If it looks like it might make a good (Wow) image, I shoot it. Sometimes even the non-Wow ones end-up being ones of my choice after shooting and viewing them.
Years ago, when I worked for our local newspaper I would be assigned a 'weather shot'. That was when I'd enjoy just cruising around, looking for that 'wow' photo - kids playing, reflection, snow piles, leaves, etc. Sometimes I'd get it... sometimes not. Wow's are hard to come by :)
Dec 27, 2013 10:38:03 #
TheDman
Loc: USA
One more thing that may have already been mentioned is familiarity with the subject / repeated visits. Coming from the realm of landscape shooting, I find that repeated visits to the same place pays off. You need familiarity with the scene to move past the obvious angles and get something unique.
Below is a series of shots I took of the Cincinnati Museum Center in chronological order. The first day was just the standard, run-of-the-mill shot of the building from the front fountains. Then I decided to return and shoot it with a better sky. After that I tried different angles, resulting in the 4th shot that has been my most successful thus far. Now whenever I approach that building I ask "What other ways can this building be shot?".
Below is a series of shots I took of the Cincinnati Museum Center in chronological order. The first day was just the standard, run-of-the-mill shot of the building from the front fountains. Then I decided to return and shoot it with a better sky. After that I tried different angles, resulting in the 4th shot that has been my most successful thus far. Now whenever I approach that building I ask "What other ways can this building be shot?".
Dec 27, 2013 10:43:31 #
I try to have a camera with me at all times within two minutes reach. The is the other think I do so that I may have a WOW moment.
Dec 27, 2013 11:12:09 #
Wow is in the eye of the beholder! When it's more personal to you, it means more to you. You are more likely to feel the WOW feeling.
Dec 27, 2013 11:28:24 #
Dec 27, 2013 11:32:18 #
TheDman
The second from the top - Where did the red on the clock on the building originate from? And you may never get the some shot twice in a liftime!
A
The second from the top - Where did the red on the clock on the building originate from? And you may never get the some shot twice in a liftime!
A
Dec 27, 2013 11:38:30 #
Dec 27, 2013 11:39:03 #
[quote=BrettOssman]One thing I'm trying to learn is to see a WOW photograph, before I even shoot it. Not as easy as it may sound, at least in my case.
Thought I'd start a discussion on this topic. There are no right or wrong answers here, IMHO. This is totally subjective.
When you are out shooting, what do you look for to create a WOW photo vs. a snapshot or commonplace photo?
Let's start here and see where this goes.[/quote
Check out this book for good info. It's one I'm about to purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0321803531/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Thought I'd start a discussion on this topic. There are no right or wrong answers here, IMHO. This is totally subjective.
When you are out shooting, what do you look for to create a WOW photo vs. a snapshot or commonplace photo?
Let's start here and see where this goes.[/quote
Check out this book for good info. It's one I'm about to purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0321803531/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
Dec 27, 2013 11:41:11 #
TheDman
Loc: USA
Shipwreckalan wrote:
TheDman
The second from the top - Where did the red on the clock on the building originate from? And you may never get the some shot twice in a liftime!
A
The second from the top - Where did the red on the clock on the building originate from? And you may never get the some shot twice in a liftime!
A
The hands of that clock are red neon at night. The other photos don't show it as well because the either the exposure is a bit blown out there or it's not dark enough yet for the lights to appear.
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