10 TOP TIPS FOR PRODUCING IMAGES WITH IMPACT
Some final ideas to consider for creating shots with that extra ‘wow’ factor
CAPTURE SUNRISE OR SUNSET
Optimise the beauty of daylight, not with a photograph of the sunrise or sunset itself, but of the sunlight raking across the landscape for great impact.
ULTRA WIDE-ANGLE DEPTH
You can exaggerate the size and scale of your subject by getting in really close with an ultra wide-angle lens. Just using this lens creates spatial impact.
SUPER TELEPHOTO COMPRESSION
Pick out tiny sections of the landscape with a 400mm or 600mm lens, and you can then juxtapose a tree or hill against a dramatic mountain backdrop.
ADD PEOPLE FOR SCALE
impact can be enhanced when you include a person in the frame in order to give size and context. Find a real person or drop one in during post-production.
ISOLATE WITH DEPTH OF FIELD
use a prime lens with a maximum aperture of f1, f1.2 or f1.4 to strongly isolate your subject against a painterly, blurred backdrop. This is called selective focus.
REMOVE THE SKY
whether shooting aerials from a plane or vistas from the top of a hill, remove the sky from your frame to create a scene or abstract without context for more impact.
CHANGE EXPOSURE INTENTIONALLY
Process your files so the image is very dark and contrasty, leaving just the highlights and hints of what lies in the shadows for extra impact with a difference.
MAKE MIRROR IMAGES
an oldie, but a goodie! make a copy of your image, flip it and then join it back together to create an eye-catching mirror image. what kind of faces can you see in there?
STRONG B&W TONES
changing an image to monochrome can make a difference, but what about giving it a rich colour cast or tone as well? Pick the right subject for lots of in-your-face impact.
EXPLORE THE MACRO WORLD
impact is all about finding subjects that are different and not widely photographed. have you explored the world up close with a macro lens yet?
Below COLOUR TONE FOR IMPACT
Take a popular subject like horseshoe Bend and put a different spin on it in post-production. here the image has been given a rich, orange tone. Like it or hate it, it has impact!