Take Powerful Photos: How to Make Pics With Visual Impact
Visual impact of an exquisitely carved sculpture makes for powerful photos.
visual impact
powerful photos
There are choices you make, every time you take photos, that determine the visual impact of those images.
Mood is an evocative tool that provides the photographer with the ability to elicit strong, emotive responses from their audience.
Likewise, photos that communicate feeling and mood are always the ones that have the greatest impact and are remembered most.
Let’s look at this photo, made in the grounds of the delightful Peterhof Palace near St. Petersburg on a bright summer day.
I noticed this particular sculpture, by the side of a path, while walking around the gardens.
I was immediately drawn to the distinctive nature of the carving on such a large, free-standing piece. I decided to contrast the two. Here’s how I went about making the photo.
Say Goodbye To Color, Say Goodbye My Baby
Let's return to the image at the top of this post. The sculpture itself is largely colorless and, as the trees were backlit, their leaves also displayed very little color.
In fact most of the color in the original image was in the blue sky and, while it looked good, it drew attention away from the sculpture.
Converting the image into black and white was the obvious choice.
The blue sky, darken by the use of the polarizing filter, now serves to frame and draw your eyes towards the lighter toned sculpture.
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Side Light Reveals Shape And Texture
The grounds at Peterhof are famous for their splendid water fountains and for all manner of statues, including the brilliant golden ones in and around the Grand Cascade.
A long time ally of the landscape photographer and painter, side light emphasizes subject shape and texture.
Notice how it’s the shadow, resulting from the direction at which the side light hits the object, that enhances the three dimensional shape of the rams head and the other decorations on the sculpture.
Acually, it’s quite amazing how much of an effect the angle of the light helps it to bring out the designs and surface texture of the sculpture.
Always remember how lighting effects, for better or for worse, the performance of your camera’s lens.
The difference between light and dark, on the edges of the individual shapes and textures within the sculpture, the strong side light also provides the impression of enhanced sharpness.
Change Your Viewpoint For A More Dynamic Photo
This photo was made from, what can be described as, a worms eye point of view.
By crouching down and photographing upwards I was able to monumentalize the sculpture and embed it with a greater sense of power and prestige.
“Photography is a physical endeavour.”
I feel this simple to perform, non-technical move is critical to the success of the photo.
Always remember that to improve a photo consider the following:
Move yourself and/or
Move the subject
Doing so changes the direction of the light, in relation to the subject, and can also change the perspective and, as a consequence, the relationship between the subject and the background.
It’s amazing how such simple and quick to implement actions can alter the visual impact and power of a photograph.
Grand Cascade at Peterhof Palace lends itself to photos with visual impact.
Reducing Reflections for More Color and Detail
Bright light can present a range of problems and associated challenges for the photographer. Bright subjects and surfaces are, of course, reflective by nature.
I remember how bright sunlight reflected tone and texture off the surface of the foreground sculptures and the pavilion and tees in the background of this photo of the Grand Cascade at Peterhof Palace.
The resulting glare was both visually distracting and detrimental to the success of the image.
The solution was to employ a polarizing filter to remove the reflections and, thereby, maintain all those delicate tones and details in what was, after all, a scene with a very high dynamic range.
It worked a treat and demonstrates how a polarizing filter can be a great advantage to photographers working outdoors under bright light conditions.
Golden warrior statue, holding the head of a victim, Peterhof Palace, Russia.
Photography Is Fun And So Much More
While I love making black and white photos, when it’s the color of the subject or scene in question that draws your attention, I’ve found it’s usually best to embrace it.
Take a look at this photo of a statue depicting a warrior holding the head of a victim in the grounds of Peterhof Palace.
It’s immediately obvious how the vividly colored golden statue is enhanced by the cool blue of the sky behind it.
It’s amazing how a simple subject or scene can so easily be rendered in line with your own creative vision.
A few simple approaches applied while making the original image, together with a bit of fun on the computer, and you can end up with a photo that is far removed from the so-called reality that other visitors probably experience when passing by that very same statue on that very same day.
It’s your world and, as a creative soul, you have the ability to see and render that world in whatever way you choose.
Through photography, and the power of the internet, you can share your own, unique view of the world around you with an ever larger audience.
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