Digital Photography For Beginners - Dare To Be Different

Poor, lifeless, or simply lacklustre photos are often triggered through idleness. Regrettably, a lot of photography enthusiasts, amateurs and even professionals, will approach a photograph assignment having a pre-created preconception of attack - mostly from either their own set style (and attempting to be cautious) or not wanting to go against the grain of acceptance. Rarely will the digital photographer take one step back, lower their camera for a few seconds, and size-up the job in hand before proceeding. Instead, a lot of us will execute the photo in the position we initially perceived the topic, never thinking to review the possibilities and the environment first.

Consider this. A well-known and respected world class digital photographer once stated "Look at it like this - the subject you wish to photograph is the nucleus of an atom. You, the photographer, are the electron spinning around the subject until you find just the right angle and distance. Not until then will you have successfully evaluated every aspect of that subject and its possibilities." Furthermore, he added, "Just the slightest move to the right or left, up or down has the potential to make or break the photo. Don't be in such a hurry to finish and leave."

This is why I say to you "Dare To Be Different". Some time ago I attended an Advanced Photography Workshop which was held over a beautiful summer's weekend. A large number of photography enthusiasts accompanied me. On Day One we spent the whole morning in a popular wedding venue with the models for a photo session where everybody was directed and challenged to consider photographs they'd not usually do. After the session, everybody was told to review and select their 10 favourite images ready for appraisal during the session the next morning.

What I believe everybody found so interesting was that although we had all worked with the very same models, with the potential for carrying out exactly the same poses, actually everybody had chosen to see things from different angles, and therefore generate highly creative poses. This was purely down to the fact that they had been instructed before the shoot to challenge their normal limitations, and "think outside the box". Instead of just charging in, which is easy and habitual to do, the photographers were taking that proverbial 'one step back' before taking each shot. Subsequently, each attendee genuinely presented a totally different group of images to one another and, most importantly, really set themselves apart.

So next time you are out with your camera, remember this most simple, but effective, digital photography trick. Take a step back and think carefully about the various ways that you might take the photograph. You may be pleasantly surprised just what the finished result is.