Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
What is Figure Ground Relationship?
Figure Ground Relationship is the relationship of the subject you wish the viewer to focus on and how it relates to the background / foreground. Most people refer to this as a “Silhouette” however it goes much deeper than this. Instead of thinking “This shot works because there’s a silhouette in it”, I would like to push forward the idea that by using FGR we can allow the thought process of “This shot works because we can clearly see the subject’s outline”.
Simplify. Back to basics. Classic. Timeless.
You see, the biggest criticism I find myself offering to students and friends of mine is to simplify an image. Most importantly, the background. People seem to enter this state of mind where they lock a camera lens down to 1.2 or 1.4 etc and shoot the model or subject anywhere and everywhere as long as the light looks great on them.
“Once the background is blurry it’s all gravy!”, well, I disagree, and I disagree strongly.
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There’s a segment of readers (yes, those of you who have life and your career all figured out) who will dismiss this as drivel. This is for the more humble among you…
In a recent blog post, marketing guru Seth Godin asked a series of simple, yet poignant, questions:
Is it meeting your needs…
Or merely creating new wants?
Is it honoring your time or squandering your time?
Is it connecting you with those you care about, or separating you from them?
Is it exposing you or giving you a place to hide?
Is it important, or only urgent?
Is it right, or simply convenient?
Is it making things better, or merely more pressing?
Is it leveraging your work or wasting it?
What is it for?
…and, immediately, I began to reflect on my own career as a creative professional.
How many frames do you take per shoot? One? Two? Fifty? Back in the days, film and developing was expensive so there was a price to each click. In today’s world clicks are cheap and a single frame no longer costs any money. This is why it is refreshing to see this tip coming from Hasselblad master Roman Jehanno.
It is a very simple advice: “shooting fewer frames will make you a better photographer“.
Roman says that the amount of pictures taken is counterproductive.
There is a problem plaguing photography blogs, waiting in the wings, ready to ensure their demise. And, as all of you armchair pundits are excitedly clicking to the comments section to inform me of my blatant hypocrisy, allow me to save you the effort and admit right here: I know there will be multiple examples of hypocrisy throughout this post. Good…I saved you thirty seconds of valuable input. [Read More…]
The creative process can sometimes be one of the most difficult aspects of a photoshoot. Think of all the time we spend mulling over ideas and concepts, trying to come up with up with a new project, until finally one sticks, only to be shelved even longer as we spend more time planning every last detail out. It can be a lengthy process, but it’s also really important. As Corey Rich explains in the clip below, the creative process needs to be nourished and encouraged to evolve, even after the shoot has started. [Read More…]
One of my favorite photography quotes comes from long-time National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson. “If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of more interesting stuff.” Like so many pieces of Life’s really great advice on topics big and small, it is both ridiculously simple and deeply profound at the same time. It’s the simplicity, though, that really resonates with me. I was discussing this with my students the other day when they pointed out to me that much of my advice to them is just as basic, simple, and straight-to-the-point.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
His videos have over a hundred million views, have been extensively published by news outlets, and has even received recognition from a few film festivals, such as International Ocean Festival
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