Thinking Outside the Box - Eliminating the "Dead Zone"
Posted by admin at 12:02 | Filed In Photography
Imagine if you will you are at a play; for example, Neil Simons Prisoner on 2nd Avenue. In the story line, an older lady sits on one side of the couch while doing her needlepoint. A few minutes later a younger lady is sitting at the opposite end of the couch crying her eyes out. How do you photograph this scene? Ones natural instinct might suggest that since the couch is horizontal and both subjects are on the couch, you must take a horizontal shot. This is one of those cases where it actually pays to think outside the box.
The problem that comes up if you shoot this scene as a horizontal shot is that big gigantic dead space between the two ladies. By repositioning the photographers point of view to one edge of the couch and looking down the length of it, you can accomplish two things. A) You can now shoot a vertical shot that fills the frame much more impressively. Have the lady that is crying in the foreground, and the lady that is doing needlepoint will appear just over her shoulder in the background. B) You have got rid of the Dead Zone. I define the Dead Zone as any area in your photograph that allows your viewer to wander away from the main subject.
Think about it. If you had taken the shot as a horizontal, how would you have viewed it? You would have looked at one lady, then at the other, and then you eyes would have been drawn back to that big empty space. You would have looked at the fabric on the couch, and then your eyes would have been drawn behind the couch to check out the background scene. Since the shot was so wide you could probably see a good portion of the stage itself, possibly even stage lights that were not even meant to be in the shot to begin with.
On the other hand, if the shot had been done as a vertical, you could have framed the edge with the end of the couch. You would definitely see the lady crying and relate to her pain. When your eyes did wander over her shoulder, you would see the second main character in the shot. You might wonder in your mind, if she (the one doing needlepoint) is even aware that the lady that is doing all the crying. You eyes might even dart back and forth between the two, but you would no doubt be thinking much more about the story line than the background or the stage lighting.
Admittedly, not everyone takes drama shots that often. However, most photographers at one point or another do end up taking people shots. Now you can say I only shoot nature shots, but are you honestly going to say that family members have never asked you to take their pictures? I mean, after all you are the photographer. Regardless if you are into people as your subjects or not the key to thinking outside the box is interaction.
Most beginning photographers only concentrate on their main subject. The main subject is usually in the foreground, and what ever is leftover is in the background. What Im suggesting is that the background is your supporting actor. The good guy is only good because he over comes the bad guy. The bad guy is only bad because of what he does to the innocent victim. You, the photographer, have to be aware of BOTH the foreground and the background. The difference between a good shot and a great shot is how much or how long it holds the viewers attention.
Your first reaction might be, but there is nothing in the background. Thats not true. Even in studio shots, the background colors are important. Lots of people love black backgrounds, but what happens if you shoot say; a Native American on a black background? Black hair on a black background tends to get lost. It blends in. Sure, it can be done with lots of lights and patients, but is it worth your time? Wouldnt it have been a lot easier to be aware of both foreground and background and chosen a dark blue background to begin with?
If you are taking pictures of friends in the park what kind of shot is going to be the most effective? If you shoot a young mother, and in the background there is a little girl playing on the swings, that might actually be acceptable. If . . . that girl was hers and you were trying to show motherhood. But what if the person you were shooting had never had any children, wouldnt that be rather distracting? In that case, just move two feet over and let the natural texture of a tree become her background.
One final thought, lets say you want to take a shot of four really big guys (professional football players for example). What happens if they just line up side by side? Besides the obvious that you may have to back up dramatically to get them all in, you also have created more of the Dead Zone to distract people from what you were actually shooting. Some photographers would just have them turn at an angle and squeeze together, while this does help some, it still doesnt look natural (especially on BIG guys).
The ideal solution for this kind of shot is to place the person in front a little lower, have one person on either side, and have the forth person leaning in from behind the person in front. This visually forms a diamond, where your eyes dart from face to face. The shape itself becomes so strong, that the surroundings no longer distract. No matter who the subject is, just remember that they only represent part of the shot. If the background supports the main subject, thats great. But if not, at least make sure the background doesnt steal the show.
This Article Written By: Tedric A. Garrison Cedar City, Utah
Tedric Garrison has done photography for over 30 years. In college; Tedric was \r an Art Major, and firmly believes that Creativity can be taught. Today; as a \r writer and photographer he shares his wealth of knowledge with the world, at: http://www.betterphototips.com
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