IN THIS LESSON

Finding those picture-perfect moments

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.

Ever roamed around a place and just couldn't find the right shot? Depending on what you're aiming to capture, keep an eye out for different elements like:

Light and Shadow: Could be intense, dramatic shadows or smooth, diffuse light.
Lines, Texture, Shape: These can guide your viewer's focus.
Colour: One dominant colour or a cool combo can really pop.
Gesture and Posture: Human elements make photos relatable.
Context: Sometimes changing your angle can make a world of difference.

If it's overcast, maybe focus on people and their interactions. Or, if you're out in the midday sun, look for those pockets of light among the shadows. Try spotting just one or two of these elements at a time.

The Whole Storytelling Thing

You've probably heard photographers go on about storytelling. I didn't get it at first either. For over twenty fice years, my photography has always been directed and created within certain parameters.. very technical and no room for creativity.

Then, I started snapping landscapes with my smartphone. How do you narrate a mountain, right? Well, every photo has a story. For instance, if you're captivated by a colorful sky, filling most of the frame with it lets your viewers know what caught your eye. Trust me, this will start to click as we dive deeper.

Unlike video, in photography, we need to provide the narrative. The aim is to communicate to the viewer or ourselves in photo memories why we captured the photo.

Storytelling in your images can create an emotional connection with the viewer. The context can evoke a universal memory that we all share. It could also be something surprising or shocking. Telling part of a story will encourage the viewer to use their own imagination to fill in the blanks.

The Importance of Intention
Intention is why you hit that shutter button. Knowing this helps you focus your photo. No more random snapshots! Intention guides you in the editing process, too. What to keep, cut, tone down, or amp up—you'll know it all.

If you are like me and have to work hard at creativity – you are going to LOVE this quick process of what to look for:

  • A clear purpose (subject);

  • Context (surrounding area); and

  • Visual narrative (story)

The Story, the Scene, and the Subject
Before you take a shot, pause. What's making you take this photo? This mindset, along with clarity on your subject and context, makes you more of a photographer and less of a random clicker.

Visual Language: Composition and Lighting
Visual literacy is the ability to read and write in the visual form. In photography, it is all about understanding what we see. And did you know we process visuals way faster than text? Good composition and lighting help your viewer get what you're trying to say. 

Understanding what attracts our attention and what is overlooked, plays a pivotal role in helping the audience easily understand the intention and message of your image. Our eye is attracted to faces, people, bright, vivid, colourful objects, dominant shapes and objects in sharp focus. Conversely, our eye does not initially explore areas of the image that are dark, blurry and de-saturated of colour.

Visual Impact: More than Just Pretty Pics
Pleasant photos are nice, but what about photos that stir something in you?  If the viewer can imagine themselves in the photo, they'll connect with it more.

The visual interpretation experience involves four components:
1. Subject – Implicit meaning of identifiable subject/content in the image
2. Theme/story – Perceptual association – identifying meaning in the image
3. Composition – Guidance and control of our gaze through the scene. This involves the dominance of different elements and how they relate to each other
4. Emotion – Most of us can place ourselves in someone else's position. If the viewer can imagine being the subject or in that scene, they will form a closer bond and connection.

Visual Engagement in Today's Fast-Paced World
In this age of short attention spans, visual engagement isn't just a fancy term.  From a business visual marketing perspective, it's how they communicate trust, relevance, value and even urgency to their audience. So yes, editing is more than slapping on a filter. It's about storytelling, too.

As you can see, editing an image requires a basic understanding of the above visual narrative principles.