5 In camera ways to open your Creative Mind’s Eye
1. Turn down your shutter. Tack sharp images are a marvel in photography and modern cameras do it fantastically, but too much of a good thing can be boring after a while. Sometimes the dreamy ethereal nature of blurry images can capture our imagination and give us pause when looking at an image. The next time you go out shooting, slow that shutter speed down and try capturing some blurry motion and see what you come away with.
2. Use reflections in your shots. Reflections can help us see our subjects from different angles literally, but also highlight the medium of photography and give a view of the world that we normally never see with just our eyes. Mirrors are always the first choice when doing in camera reflections, but puddles after a rain can be a great substitute for a mirror, or the glass of a shop window can show us a patron inside along with the photographer taking the image.
3. Blur where you usually focus. Traditionally if there is a person in a shot we focus on the person, but what if our intention isn’t to make the person the subject, but rather to blur the person and let the background become the subject. This choice can let our viewers imagine a little more, feel a little more, and maybe daydream a little all the while staying in our image longer than usual.
4. Shoot through translucent objects. Images shot through a plastic bag can produce texture and intrigue. Images shot through a glass bottle can create distortion we can’t usually produce without the help of editing software. Finding objects that we can shoot through can help us see the world in a new and interesting way and give viewers a little pause while scrolling.
5. Strip away everything but your subject. Minimize the world in your vision down to only the bare essentials. This technique of minimalism applies to art in general, but can really help focus your shooting and help simplify the world down to exactly what you want to show the viewer. It helps you state your intent as a photographer and it lets the viewer know exactly what is going on in your image.
I want to give photo credit to the amazing photographers listed below. I hope this blog helps anyone reading in their photography journey. Thank you, kindly.
Photo credits
1. https://www.instagram.com/bryanfpeterson/
2. https://www.instagram.com/alan_schaller/
3. https://www.instagram.com/vsionsofalife/
4. https://www.instagram.com/moller_joakim/
5. https://www.instagram.com/pat_kay/
-Tarver Petersen
