You know photos that attempt to tell a story.. Maybe the photo is just a photo of something ordinary, but it’s taken so that it shows the character of the photographer or the subject. Maybe it’s the situation that reveals something, or maybe photographer’s relationship to the context.
But there’s got to be something.
You know that dull feeling of seeing someone’s travel photos for example. Watching boring travel photos feels like a punishment. Photos that document hotel breakfasts, airplane wings or famous landmarks, for example..
While I suppose it’s possible to photograph airplane wing so that it’s interesting; I wish people were just a bit more creative what comes to selecting their subjects.
Immediately when there’s a person inside the frame, the photo becomes much more interesting. Especially if the person is doing something (except posing).
Eye catching photo is always something a bit different. Maybe it’s the geometry or composition of the photo, or maybe it’s the mere situation itself, or unique light.
Decayed buildings, for example used to be interesting, at least until they became a popular trend.There are tons and tons of photos of rotten and rusty buildings and the photos have nothing particularly interesting about them.
So.. context is not enough. A photo must have a soul. It’s not about mastering the technique of the photo, but getting into the right spirit of capturing the moment.
Henri Cartier-Bresson said that “photography is about placing heart, mind and eye in the same line of sight”. It requires understanding of geometry and framing. To achieve this kind of understanding, one must shoot a lot.
Learn the rules and then learn how to break them.
