I meant to do that!
Make no mistake, my work is unique! I have a style of my own and it is somewhat uncoventional. My clients are usually looking for something fresh, stylish and more contemporary than what many “traditional” photographers offer. That being said, there are some things you may notice when looking at my work that is different from what you might be accustomed to…
“Tight Crops” – This means super close close-ups where often the face fills most of the frame of the image. These images are about the eyes, and often the top of the head is not included in the image. I meant to do that!
“Not-So-Smiley”- So many of us have been brought up to believe that a smile is a requirement to make a great photo. So not true! I love a pensive look as much as a big grin. I meant to do that!
“Let’s Be Negative” – Negative space is when the subject is placed off to the side of an image and the rest of the image is empty—this is done for artistic impact. I meant to do that!
The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines (like a tic-tac-toe board). The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the photograph. Aligning a photograph with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the photo than simply centering the feature would.
Trust me, your child does not need to be right in the center of an image for it to be a good portrait! I meant to do that!
“The Light in the Eyes” The hallmark of good portrait photography is good lighting, and the hallmark of good lighting is something called a “catchlight,” – a reflection of light in the eyes. I love big catchlights! I purposely position my lights for the best and largest catchlights, especially for close-ups. Flip through any parenting or glamour magazine and look at the eyes—what do you see? Big bright catchlights! A lack of catchlights leaves the eyes looking flat, dull and lifeless. I meant to do that!
Lastly, many times I receive questions on ‘why do digital images cost so much? It’s just your time and a $0.25 cd!” Well, that is seriously a wonderful question!! One that I cannot answer so quickly or easily, but a valid question at that.
I highly encourage you to read this article by Marianne Drenthe. She explains the answer better than I ever could.
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