At the first photo shoot on the first day of most photo workshops, photographers show up and something interesting usually happens: invisible force fields are produced. The photographers set up their tripods at about the same place and about at the same height. Basically, everyone is locked into about the same position – taking about the same shot.
Of course, there are times when there is a "best place" to take the "iconic" shot. But after taking that iconic shot, I suggest to my workshop students that they use a camera like a spaceship – moving it left and right (sometimes inches, feet, yards and so on), up and down, and back and forth – for unique photo positions. Often times, the workshop participants come up with images that make them smile more so than the iconic image.
Here is a link to some of their images taken on my workshops. Good stuff. No?
I also suggest to the students that they envision a final crop - because cropping gives us a second chance at creative composition.
If you need some hints on creative composition, check out my Kelby Training class: Composition - the strongest way of seeing on my On-line Classes page.
Of course, I also suggest thinking like painter and shooting like an artist - with creative plug-in effects in mind. If you are new to the idea of using plug-ins, you can download and save a few-bucks on my favorite plug-ins here.
I am planning "Think Like a Painter and Shoot/Process Like an Artist" workshops here in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. The workshops will be designed around creative shooting and Photoshop/plug-in processing. Shoot me an email to get on the info list.
So my friends, the next time you go on a workshop, use your camera like a spaceship and avoid force fields. :-)
Explore the light,
Rick
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