subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 13 April 2019 17
Aspect ratio
Working the camera in new ways can be extremely
helpful. Choosing a different aspect ratio can be
all it takes to cause a change in compositional
approach and tune your thoughts in a different way.
Try choosing a monochrome shooting style to see
in black & white.One camera – one lens
Head out with just one camera and one lens, forcing
your mind to compose in entirely different ways. By
removing the safety of the foreground and choosing
a long lens for a coastal shoot, for instance, you
will create imagery of an entirely different style.Change frequency – try an
infrared camera
Work with an infrared camera and see the world
in an entirely different frequency. Forcing the mind
to translate what you see around you will generate
unusual and different results. Do not expect
everyone to appreciate this change, but you
will certainly feel relief.not hand you a chord book and say, ‘Now
go home and write me a song’. You learn
by exploring and imitating the work of
others, connecting with simple and
accessible music to inspire, satisfy and
more importantly, build your confi dence.
Drawing a parallel, photography is a
very similar but slightly diff ering aff air.
Yet alongside this worship, an inherent
diffi culty starts to build. For most, the goal
that calls us onwards is the pursuit of a
sublime state – photographic identity
- but this enlightened, self-perpetuating
state is very diffi cult to achieve. Work,
family life and those ever-so-demanding
children pull us every which way! So when
we do fi nally catch a break, what’s the
harm in bagging a cliché or two to keep
our creativity on track? The majority of
these very tempting opportunities are less
than a few hundred metres from the car
and look absolutely sensational in the right
conditions – after all, they’re clichés for
a very good reason.
Building identity
As creative landscape photographers seek
to defi ne themselves, the importance of
building an identity grows signifi cantly.
Within their local area, there may be a
number of go-to opportunities that yield
quality results but these change to ‘backup
plan status’ as confi dence increases. For
most, the attempt to reach a new creative
level is at the forefront of their minds. Yet
with pressure to produce a constant fl ow
of impressive material to an ever-hungry
online audience, the return to a cliché
alleviates the anxiety and smooths the
journey. It may be all that was achievable,
as bad weather, busy work and home life
pull the photographic handbrake.
Creative safety is what causes heavy
traffi c at clichés. A sunrise shoot
with guaranteed mist creates a local
stampede for Corfe Castle and should you
not happen to live near a fabulous area
then monetary risk adds to the
pressure to perform.