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Learning From “Bad Photos”

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Photos by Steve BerardiIn teaching photography, a lot of attention is always paid to the “good photos” — pointing out what made the photo “good.” We don’t really hear much about the “bad photo” ever, but I think you can learn things from any photograph.

I’m putting “good” and “bad” in quotes here because, like I’ve said before, I don’t really think there are good and bad photos. I think it’s more of a personal choice about whether or not a photo triggers some feeling in you. So, in that sense, when I say “bad photo” here, what I really mean is a photo you took that you personally don’t like for some reason—it doesn’t say what you want it to say about your subject. [Read more…] about Learning From “Bad Photos”

Simplify

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi

The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity.” —Walt Whitman

One of the first lessons I learned when I got into photography is to simplify your composition. Decide what your subject is, and then compose your shot so it only includes your subject or things that support the subject (for example, natural lines that lead the viewer’s eyes to the subject).

A common problem is trying to include too much in one photo. This makes it hard for the viewer to figure out what the subject is, and how to navigate the image. You want to make it as easy as possible for the viewer.

So, here are some ways to simplify your composition: [Read more…] about Simplify

Adding An Artistic Element

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Photo by Vic Berardi
Photo by Vic Berardi
As nature photographers, many times we feel just getting an acceptable photo of an elusive subject is good enough. However, sometimes a bit of patience, luck and perseverance can bring about an enlightening experience.

For example, I recently had an encounter with a dragonfly known as a Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps). We all know photographing dragonflies can be a very daunting and sometimes humbling experience. The Prince Baskettail can be especially frustrating because it seems to be forever on the move and rarely rests for any length of time. Occasionally though, luck comes at surprising times and the most important thing to remember at those times is to take full advantage of it and to always keep trying for the best possible photo while keeping in mind to never pressure your subject to fly off. [Read more…] about Adding An Artistic Element

How To Show Depth In Close-Ups

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
In a previous post, I talked about how to show depth in landscape photos. But depth isn’t just important for landscapes, it’s also something you might want to do in close-up photos because it makes your subject appear more three-dimensional.

So, how do you show depth in close-ups? Simple: just photograph your subject from an angle. This happens to be one way to show depth in landscapes too 🙂

For example, compare the photo at the beginning of this post with this one: [Read more…] about How To Show Depth In Close-Ups

Photograph What It Feels Like, Not What It Looks Like

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Photo by Steve BerardiIn the past few months, I’ve written a lot about how to show more emotion in your photographs, and to think of your photos as a way of saying something specific about your subject. To think beyond things like “this flower is beautiful” and instead get to the core of what you want to express about your subject.

I recently stumbled upon a quote by photographer David Alan Harvey that I think really helps explain how to do this: “Don’t shoot what it looks like, shoot what it feels like.”*

In the beginning, we tend to photograph what everything looks like, and that makes perfect sense as we’re initially attracted to photography because we want to record all the beautiful things we see in nature. But, then somewhere along the way, we start wanting more from our photographs. Something to set them apart from other photos of the same subject. And, the secret to that is photographing what it feels like, instead of what it looks like. [Read more…] about Photograph What It Feels Like, Not What It Looks Like

Fewer Photos, More Meaning

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Mojave Desert / Photo by Steve Berardi
Mojave Desert / Photo by Steve Berardi
Last week, I visited the Cleveland Museum of Art. I didn’t look at any photographs there, but I’ve always been inspired by all types of artists—not just photographers. There was one artist in particular who’s work I really enjoyed: Frederic Edwin Church, who painted American landscapes in the 1800s.

There was one painting of his that really moved me: Twilight In the Wilderness. The painting depicts a sunset over wilderness near Mount Katahdin in Maine, and was painted in 1860. The painting itself is beautiful. I love grand vistas that look down into a wilderness—they help remind me of how insignificant we all are (in a good way!), one of my favorite things about nature. But, I was moved by more than just the painting itself. After reading the description, I learned that Church debuted the painting by itself at a prestigious art gallery, instead of exhibiting it with paintings by other artists (which was the custom).

I really liked that he did this because it makes the painting more powerful. When it’s the only painting in a gallery next to a bunch of empty walls, it makes it seem more special and it makes viewers spend more time observing it. Instead of having a bunch of paintings in a gallery, that people would just casually walk by and observe for a few seconds, he had this single painting that would attract all the attention. It was like the painter said, “Here, this is the painting that matters. This is the most important work I created this year. Please take a look, and don’t hurry.” [Read more…] about Fewer Photos, More Meaning