A Photography Project for April
PHOTO CHALLENGE |
a new take on ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
You might be wondering why this particular genre of photography has enough appeal to focus an entire month on it, so hear me out…
One of the things I’ve been saying a lot lately as we learn, critique, and and continue to push ourselves is, “Does it make sense?” In the search for something interesting to photograph, we often get excited and just start shooting without truly thinking through the opportunities surrounding the subject, or what supporting elements could enhance the experience and image.
Environmental photography, at least in the context that we’re exploring it, is all about mindfully approaching your subject and the scene surrounding you. Commonly, environmental photography relates to portraiture as a formal variant of documentary. Where documentary is based around candid and action shots, environmental is very intentional.
Environmental photography gives context to the subject you’re photographing, there are always supporting elements to create interest, tell a story, and relate to:
Focus on the daily life within the landscape.
What is subject to change?
What is your experience with the place?
Having a subject within your landscape (weather, light, person, animal, or other object) adds additional points of interest to compositions.
Whatever the subject, it has to look natural. While you’re there with intention, you want to have as much control of the outcome as possible, don’t leave it up to chance.
Often gives the viewer real insight into the personality and lifestyle of where you are or your subject. Essentially, we’re fully humanizing our photos, creating a sense of intimacy.
These shots sit somewhere between the purposely posed shots of a studio portrait or landscape compilations and candid shots, which capture people almost incidentally as they go through their daily life. This is the most important take-away. While we’re controlling as much as we can, we are also allowing it to flow naturally and for things to occur and photograph organically.
Spend time getting to know your subject
Before you select a location and start shooting, familiarize yourself with your surroundings and any potential subject, if possible.
What is the rhythm happening around you, how is light affecting the landscape, what natural behaviors do you notice? This will not only help you find appropriate locations but will also help you get a feel for the style of shots that might be appropriate for the season and weather.
You’ll relax and gain confidence by being familiar and prepared with your shoot. This is the time when you can visit and revisit your favorite locations, looking for new features and distinctions each time.
Choose the right location
Sometimes a location chooses you, but on other occasions, you need to be quite deliberate and purposeful in making your choice. It can take some searching, or like I mentioned above, revisiting old favorites.
When choosing your environment, you ideally want one that:
says something about your subject. After all, that’s what this style of photography is all about.
adds interest to the shot. Every element in an image can add or detract from the end result. The environment in which you place your subject needs to provide context and interest without overwhelming the composition. Remember, they’re supporting one another.
doesn’t dominate the shot. Sometimes the location can dominate the image so much that it distracts the viewer from your main focal point (the subject). So try to avoid cluttered backgrounds (and foregrounds), colors that are too bright, etc. Keep in mind that you might be able to remove the distractions with clever cropping, depth of field, and subject placement.
Use props naturally
Props can make or break an environmental photograph. If your props are subtle and naturally fit within the context of the environment, then they can support and enhance the image. You’ll want to avoid any props that don’t quite fit or that potentially distract the viewers attention. Try to be true to the context without getting carried away.
Examples of props that naturally support your environment: An umbrella on a beach, a car in front of a building, hot coffee on a cold day, a tote while shopping, a phone in hand while waiting, flowers from the farmer’s market, wine at a picnic, etc.
direct your subject
Whether person or object, what sets an environmental photo apart from a candid photo is that you direct your subject. In truth, it’s a fine line between candid photography and environmental photography; you might end up doing a bit of both in any given shoot. Don’t be hard on yourself and do your best with what you have planned and are given in the scenario. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments or simply try again later to get a subject that fits with the environment. Things can easily seem slightly unnatural or dramatic, but it’s often these purposely posed shots that are more interesting and give a sense of style to your shot. Ask yourself, does this make sense? Can you identify time and place?