I’m writing this article as an inspiration to those struggling. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is they rigidly obey rules or they don’t obey the rules entirely. There’s a balance between doing “what works” and being plain ol boring. Afterall, the Great Conrad Hall once said “Contrast is what makes photography interesting”. When we stop thinking of photography or the use of the exposure triangle as a the answer, we allow our photos to become more interesting and have more fun doing so. Some of this depends on what we are composing and style; Afterall photography is an art. If you ever hired a photographer and did your due research, you probably looked at several photographers collage of photos they’ve taken from shoots and decided to go with what spoke most to you. For me, I always enjoyed the more risky artistic shots. One of the first things I ask myself before taking a photo is, “how can I make this interesting?”. And that’s a pretty open-ended question.
One of the biggest ways, we can make that happen is through composition. Try placing your subject off centered or focus on something less unexpected. Arranging objects in a circular or triangular pattern forces the eyes to take a longer gaze. Place your camera at challenging angles by stooping down or laying close to other subjects such as grass or leaves. Purposely lower your shutter speed to blur your photos, which can suggest speed of a subject. Change lenses to be creative. Try an ultra-wide, tilt-shift, or super zoom camera for more creativity.
Another way is to work with your lighting. Capture that prime hour of of a sunset or sunrise. Shoot at night and allow lights of buildings or cars to be barely there. Take a point light source such as a lamp and place it around the room and notice the effect it has on the overall feel of a photo. Let the shadows speak mystery and draw curiosity.
Overall, I challenge you to bend and break the rules. Most importantly, take lots of photos. Editing your photos is another way to draw interest; but remember, you can only edit your photos so much. Great photos are the ones that need less editing on the back end. This will save you work and time.