Two of a kind
The results of the CUPOTY Challenge are in. The winner and a selection of finalists share their tips and techniques with competition co-founder Tracy Calder
We’ve all read articles about the ‘rules’ of composition: fill the frame with your subject, direct the eye with leading lines, stick to the rule of thirds etc. Most of the time these rules work wonders, but successful pictures are a result of technical ability and creative input, and following the rules too slavishly can sometimes lead to predictable, routine results.
One of the rules that painters, designers and photographers often follow encourages us to use an odd number of elements in the frame (often three). The theory goes that the human brain likes to group and organise objects in order to make sense of them quickly. When we include an even number of elements in the frame the brain has to decide which to look at first and the eye often darts from one thing to another, unable to prioritise or settle.
Rules, however, are made to be broken and for this CUPOTY CHALLENGE (in association with Affinity Photo) we asked photographers to ignore odd numbers and instead embrace the power of two. Entrants were asked to supply pictures featuring two similar things – anything from a pair of animals to a duo of cells or flowers. When viewed together they form an inspirational gallery showing what can be achieved when you become a creative rule-breaker!
This year’s Close-up Photographer of the Year will be opening towards the end of February – for more details visit www.cupoty.com and sign up to the newsletter. All the shortlisted entries for the second CUPOTY CHALLENGE can be seen here too. CUPOTY is supported by Affinity Photo – image editing software for creative professionals.