Everything captured within our photos should be there for a reason. What we leave out is as important as what we include, but we also need to be sure that our subject is clear and that our photo says something about that subject.
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Once we learn some composition techniques, we no longer need to ‘rehearse’ them in our minds before taking a photo; they become instinctive. But whether you study and follow the ‘rules’ of composition, or prefer to take a more relaxed approach to photography, there’s no denying that certain compositions are especially pleasing to the eye and impactful.
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I hope these images of animate and inanimate subjects found on rooftops around the world, from cats to crosses, demonstrate that it is always worth looking up while carrying a camera. You never know what you might see!
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We all know the colours of the rainbow and our imaginations can supply them even when photographed in black and white. The colours of many other photographic subjects are equally recognisable too. But when we strip out those colours and leave our imagination to fill them in, other elements of the subject, like texture and form, come to the fore.
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Whoever said 'We build too many walls and not enough bridges', and when, sadly it seems very apposite to our times. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if right now we were building more bridges than walls? And yet, the world is full of walls, and we have to admit that they are often necessary.
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There is a temptation while travelling to take only those ‘souvenir’ photos, and it’s one I often fall into. It’s all too easy simply to point the camera at them and press the shutter while considering only the basics of composition. At the same time I do try to look for the more unusual photo opportunities, and I like to capture the details of everyday life in a city.
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Juxtaposition is often referred to as a literary device, placing two concepts close together to highlight their differences. But it is just as effective in visual arts, including photography. And these contrasting elements hopefully work together to elicit a response from the viewer.
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In a Northern Hemisphere winter, seeing flowers can always lift the spirits. Whether it’s a rare winter-blooming plant in a garden, a vase in the home or photos from past summer or journeys, the sight is always a welcome one.
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How often have you looked at a photo and immediately rejected it? Too bland, too flat, out of focus, poor composition… It may have looked good at the time you took it, but for one reason or another it didn't turn out as you'd hoped and planned.
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After any trip I like to explore how the photos I took might look in black and white. I never shoot in that medium, even on those occasions when I already feel it would be the best option, because it’s easy to transform from colour to monochrome but impossible to do the reverse in any realistic manner.
