A
photo, or series of them, has the ability to convey stories
to
those who view them...displaying emotion, mood, ideas and messages
which,
together, are the elements of 'story-telling'.
Most
newspaper photography fits into the category of
'story-telling'...something
in the photo that grabs the attention of the viewer. Daily, during
these Pan American Games, there is a full page of photos and often
on the newspaper's front page. Various professional photographers
have captured these images of participating athletes...and each one
'tells a story' illustrating agony,
ecstasy, despair, elation, determination pushing the body to extreme
limits, jubilation ~
from which we can learn.
A
dramatic photo of 2 women competing in the 100 metre hurdles.
Facing the photographer, he writes of his photo, “With all the
determination she could muster, Canada's Jessica Zelinka, left,
races the last few metres to the finish line ahead of Breanna Leslie
of the United States, to win their heat in the women's heptathlon
100-metre hurdles Friday at York University.
Jason
Pryor of the United States positions himself to engage his opponent
as his U.S. Team fences
with Mexico in the men's epee team quarter-finals. (In this photo,
Jason is ready to attack).
Mexico's
Samantha Salas is reflected on a wall, as she returns a shot to
Argentina's Veronique Guillemette and Maria Vargas
during the women's racquetball doubles gold medal match.
Vanessa
Spinola, of Brazil, celebrates after coming in third in her heat in
the women's heptathlon 110-metre hurdles.
Photographer captures her with big smile and right arm raised with
upward thumb! And a despondent loser in the background...both showing
emotions of the' race heat.'
Alfredo
Sepulveda, left, of Chile, runs around Javere Bell, centre, of
Jamaica and Joel Mejia, of the Dominican Republic, after Mejia fell
while handing off the baton during the semifinals of the men's 4x400
metre relay.
An action photo showing the fallen Mejia, and competitors running
around him.
Photographer
is facing 6 men hurdlers as they hustle through 9 hurdles prior to
the run to the finish line. American
David Oliver, second from right, leads the runners in the 110 metre
hurdles final, with Canada's Johnathan Cabral, right, on his heels.
Oliver won the gold medal in this event.
Trinidad
and Tobago's Elton Walcott looks for a big finish in the triple jump
final.
A most dramatic photo showing the side view of the jumper air-borne
with arms extended into the air before landing in the sand; a judge
stands behind a huge measuring board showing lengths of 14, 15, 16,
and 17 (with the quarter and half markings between each numeral).
The viewing stands are full of people.
A
small picture of interest really captured my attention, taken by The
Canadian Press: Up close we view a girl sitting with back to
photographer...wearing a sleeveless white shirt and Maple Leaf cap on
head with peak at the back over long brunette hair as she watches
Ryan
Dodd of Canada, jumping his way to winning the gold medal in men's
jump water ski.
The girl is the focus of the photo as ski jumper is a small
silhouette in the distance ~ his leap above the water with only sky
as his background.
Yes,
I agree, the photographers had ideal opportunities; yet in their
imagination, had to create an image that 'told a story'...the secret
to good photos. Being
in the right place at the right time...is a bonus!
It's advised to shoot 3 to 5 different pics of the same subject to
ensure correct composition and lighting. Once
in a blue moon, a
photographer gets lucky!
You and I can create pictures of interest with 'everyday situations'.
Consider the following: A back view of a cowboy and other cowboys
on a dusty trail herding cattle...a line of businessmen with brief
case in hand at a shoe-shining place while boys astride boxes with
their supplies are busily at work...an old car abandoned in an open
field, rusty in nature, with weeds growing up around it...a young
woman in evening dress walking away from the photographer, while she
treacherously walks (in high heels) a curving rail on a railway
track,'
Pictures should be more than 'just records of the moment'!
They should tell stories...making you want to keep looking into the
picture.
Most take pictures for personal reasons: e.g. “me in front of'”
or
“Yes,
we saw the Eiffel Tower...here it is!”
Solutions?
Create the picture to “SPEAK' of the experience...in
lieu of just a quickly snapped photo!Have
an Idea!
Make
a mental story!
Consider
the surroundings!
Be
aware of the colours
that will saturate your photo!
Composition and Lighting are the main technical ingredients!
A few story ideas in everyday situations:
Small child kisses Grandpa who displays a loving smile while Grandma
stands in the background.
A child takes a Big Breath (open mouth and big eyes) before blowing
out her 6 birthday candles.
Egyptian pyramids on the desert floor, leading the eyes into the 3D
aspect of the travel photo.
Friends, young boy and girl, sit together on porch step, sharing
lunch sandwiches and juice.
A father ties his son's tie as the boy looks down observing as his
father intricately 'ties'...father's face shows concentration and
adoration in this ordinary act.
Envision
a Few Final Colour Photos in Today's Spectator
that “Walk the Talk” with a story-line:
A
big blur of water splash that almost hides
the swimmer...a
spray of kicked-up-dirt that shrouds the long-jumper...the
jubilation of a
team member
jumping into the arms of another...the perfect silhouette of two
Canadian
synchronized women divers...the
whir of wheels of Team Canada's track-cycling's
'Women in Pursuit'...a
long horizontal photo of supreme symmetry has Big Impact (a late
evening sky of blue with traces of pink, the foreground an
extensive line of competing soccer
teams
set in front of 2015
Toronto
banners and our soccer stadium at full capacity; the night lights
beam their evening rays.
And this last one is my favourite with the following caption:
“Felipe
Miranda, of Chile, had some crazy memories of the water-ski
competition as he threads a pair of geese in Toronto's Lake Ontario.”
Felipe is centred in the photo on an angular lean as he skis the
rippling water while a Canada Goose on each side, disrupted from
their domain, fly hastily from this sudden invasion of their
solitude.
THINK before you Speak! to avoid the er's, ah's and um's.
THINK before you Write! be clear ( to avoid misunderstanding).
THINK before you Shoot (photos)! compose a mental story.
Advice
I've learned to follow!
Merle Baird-Kerr...written July 27, 2015.
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