Hello Reader!

It is starting to move into the busy time for me! Several photography club presentations either recently presented or coming up, one-on-one workshops in the Hocking Hills area, and then the Smokies and West Virginia right around the corner! I am looking forward to the Spring season!

This week, let’s talk about how to make your photos feel like more than a snapshot!

More Than a Snapshot

A common theme at workshops is people looking to make their photo be more than a snapshot. These people often are solid in their technical skills, they understand the exposure triangle, depth of field, and all the things that go into creating a technically sound image. But they struggle with their images looking like more than a quick snapshot someone might have taken on their phone. They just weren’t happy with their final photos.

The key to moving from “just a snapshot” to a photograph you’re proud of is slowing down, thinking about the scene, and being deliberate with your composition. Strong photographs that hold a viewer’s attention usually have clear choices behind them. It is more than walking up to a scene, taking a picture of the obvious composition and moving on.

I see this a lot at locations I visit for my own photography. I’ll be studying the scene, trying different compositions, playing with angles, camera height, foregrounds, and so on and meanwhile other folks will walk up, take a picture, and then head off to the next spot. You just can’t absorb a scene and figure out what it means to you that quickly. You can see the obvious, but not the smaller details or the parts that give you pause.

The longer you spend at a location, the more you can study it. What details are important? What details are actually distracting from the main subject? Is the main subject actually some smaller part of the scene? Taking time to distill what the scene means to you is what starts to transform your images from snapshots into photographs that hold a viewer’s interest.

Spending more time at a location helps you see how the light moves in the scene. Maybe waiting for a patch of light to move or a shadow to pass will help you create a more compelling image. I find I often start with the obvious composition, but once I have that, I start to “work the scene” more. Changing angles, camera height, and different choices about framing.

Being intentional is what helps move your photographs beyond the snapshot and toward something more compelling. Be patient, study the scene, consider carefully what adds to the scene and what distracts from the scene. These steps will help you transition past snapshots.

Give it a try! The next time you go photograph a location, whether it be an old familiar or new location, set a timer for say 30 minutes and make yourself stay and look for different compositions. Once you’re done and you get home, be sure to review those images and get a feel for what worked, what didn’t and continue to repeat that process until it becomes more natural for you.

Trail-Ready: A Hiking Guide for Landscape Photographers

With spring comes heading outdoors to practice your landscape photography. Being prepared for the outdoors is a big step in both being creative and being safe when visiting scenes in the outdoors. I put together an ebook that covers a variety of topics to help you be better prepared.

• Prepare for hikes with realistic expectations
• Choose gear that supports safety and comfort
• Understand terrain challenges and stay weather-aware
• Make conservative go / no-go decisions in the field

While a lot of outdoor guides are hiking first, Trail-Ready blends outdoors capability with our photography requirements.

One Spot Left - Smoky Mountains Spring Workshop

There’s just one spot remaining for the Great Smoky Mountains spring workshop in April. I am co-leading this workshop with Michael Rung who brings a wealth of woodlands photography experience and Adobe Lightroom expertise!

We’ll focus on thoughtful fieldwork, decision-making in changing conditions, and coming home with images you’re proud of, not just checking locations off a list.

Get in now - as registration for this workshop closes soon!

I also have other workshops on the calendar throughout the year if the Smokies aren’t the right fit for you, more information on my Upcoming Workshops page.

Until the next newsletter!

Know someone who might enjoy this? Please feel free to share this email with them.

~Jeffrey

​
​