Did it do it?

This week BPSOP instructor Joe Baraban reminds us to ask yourself an important question.

Did it do it?

One of the things I like to tell photographers to ask themselves is, “Did It Do It?” I pass this on as soon as I can to my students so they can get a handle on it and start incorporating it into their thought process. Ask yourself, “Did it do what you intended”.

If I took a census of all the frequently made mistakes that beginning photographers make, a few quickly come to mind. One of them is when the student explains to me what they were trying to achieve in their photo that is clearly esoteric. Sometimes it’s so esoteric that only the student/photographer themselves gets it.

Now that’s really esoteric!!!

Whatever message you’re trying to send out (in a photograph) has to be able to stand on it’s own. I explain to my students that they won’t always be around to describe their thinking and make that idea clear, so unless it’s an obvious abstraction of reality where it’s best if the student lets the viewer decide what they think it is, the photo should be a “quick read”.

If you intended for the man that’s standing on a rock overlooking the ocean to be in deep thought, make it so his body language conveys that thought. Where you place him in the composition is so important. Putting him in the bottom right corner says something entirely different than placing him in the middle of the frame. Put yourself in the viewer’s place and think whether you would get the message. Right before you click the shutter “consider the scene, and its eventual outcome”.

In my photo of the boy I shot it for Russel Athletics, the message the client wanted to get across was that if if you work hard enough, no matter where you come from, or where you live, you can make it in the big leagues. The shot up top was shot for Shell Oil and was meant to bring the month of July in the USA!

Come join me in my Stretching your Frame of Mind Classes and we can work together on making images that do it!

Joe Baraban

BPSOP Instructor

“I just wanted to thank you for another wonderful class. I have to confess that each week when I read the new assignment, my first reaction was mild panic and a deep certainty that I would not be able to produce anything worthwhile that fit within the parameters you had set. But before I knew it, the ideas started to flow, and I quickly became obsessed (no, that isn’t too strong a word!) with exploring the possibilities. I can honestly say that the photos I produced in response to your assignments are among my favorites. Thanks for bringing out a creative side I didn’t know I had!”

Barbara Geiger
Understanding Color

“Thank you so very much for this course! It’s allowed me to take the blinders off and present my images for what I want them to be without being a slave to the “reality” of the camera. I would also add that in conjunction with your printing course, this has been the most useful course I’ve ever taken. Your notes are more than comprehensive and your comments and critiques are direct, clear, and always directed to the improvement of the art.”

Bill
After the click

” I want to thank you for this class and for your patience and availability to answer all of my questions. I have learned very much through this class. I have used LR in the past, but mostly for editing images. I now have a better grasp in the organization of my images, an even better understanding of editing images, and an understanding of the value of presets. I still have a lot to learn, but this has put me on the road to be able to improve my photography. Again, thank you! ”

Dale Yates
Lightroom Quickstart

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