ARTISTIC JUDGMENT What element of art is used to drive the message in the picture? There are basically 7 elements: line, shape, form, colour, space, texture and value. To stick to the objective of this article, I will not go too deep discussing these elements since art is so subjective but we can discuss a little. Each of the elements is unique in its own way and is used to drive different kinds of messages. The more of these elements you are able to incorporate, the better your photo will be. However, not every good picture has all of these elements in it, sometimes you just need one dominant element. LINES The use of lines (leading lines) is important when you take a picture with your subject in the far distance. An example of using lines is a trail or road leading towards your subject. You could take the picture from where you are standing tracing the line until its end point to help the viewer follow the line towards the main subject whilst helping them see everything around that same subject. SHAPES Shapes work well with a two-dimensional and/or enclosed area. If the picture you are taking is more shape oriented you might want to incorporate a number of shapes into the picture to portray the message well. Or you may even introduce shapes into the picture just to make your work more artistic. For example, in the picture on the previous page, the model was asked to pose in a certain way that expresses various shapes just to incorporate that element in the work. FORM This has to do with the shape of a particular object along its volume or perceived volume. It’s about creating an image from a perspective where you can give the viewer a sense of size. For instance, a picture of a building taken from the front allows people to see the rectangular shape but it can also be taken from a 45% side angle to give a 3D overview with the viewer able to see the front and side to get a sense of volume to show it isn’t just a flat building. COLOUR Another popular element is the use of striking colours to drive home your message. However, in instances where the scene is overflowing with many colours, such as at a carnival, you have to concentrate on a particular colour scheme to get the right result. For example, at a carnival, you can effectively use complementary colours from a scheme to single out your focus. SPACE This deals with how you are able to incorporate space so that the elements are not choked up. More often than not, a picture may not incorporate this element as it depends on the subject and the scene being shot. For instance, thinking of a carnival, space might not be that evident owing to the nature of the activities. However, the more you are able to incorporate space, the better your picture looks, especially when you need to single out a particular activity in the midst of all that is going on. TEXTURE This helps in creating a perception of how something feels or looks. For instance, a picture of a table with a rough surface and one with a smooth surface will give you different feelings. One might give the sense of luxury and the other of durability. VALUE This is the degree of lightness or darkness in a particular image. It deals with the relationship between highlights and shadows. Value helps to express a form or create an illusion of it in a picture. For example, if you take a photo of a white ball against a white background; if the picture is overly exposed, we may not be able to differentiate the ball and the background but if the photo is moderately exposed, there will be some level of shadow (darkness) in the picture which will help to differentiate between the ball and the background. NARRATIVE JUDGMENT After considering all the points above so that you are able to interpret your photo well yourself, you need to consider if the layman (the person viewing your work) will be able to recognise and see the same things. This determines how much post production work is necessary. Consider how much post production work the photo needs. Ask yourself if the exposure should be increased or reduced? Are there distractions to remove? Does it need to cropping? It is important to note that post production is usually one of the last things to consider and saying “I will fix things in Photoshop” is the statement of a poor photographer. Know that you are a photographer before you are an editor and post production is used to enhance a photo, not recreate it. CONCLUSION After you have considered all of these points individually you can put your picture out into the world for others to critique and give feedback on. Remember that no one can narrate your work as best as you can and you need to gain the confidence and ability to defend your work regardless of people’s opinion. Their feedback should only strive to make you a better photographer because at the end of it the day, everything is art.
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REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Brendon Gilchr
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