…or The KISS Approach …
We open up a magazine, and often, we are assaulted by garish colors, HDR effects run amock, and confusion so bad that the eye does not know where to go, let alone land. Watch a TV ad and we often wonder what is really being advertised. Go into a gallery, and images are hyper-processed, losing what we always talk about in our workshops … the magic of light and mystery of shadow. UGH is all I can say. Sure, taste is taste is taste, but is more always better?
The tried-and-true KISS theory (Keep It Simple Stupid, for those who are not familiar with this very old term) allows the viewer to enjoy what she/he is seeing. There is negative space. The eye is allowed to wander around, landing here and there.
For Arnie and me, the Outer Banks are perfect for Keep It Simple. But there are many other locales — coastal areas all over, the desert, the plains, wide vistas in the West, New England pastures, even, perhaps, your own back yard — that also afford ample options for simple compositions. If you think about it, you are only limited by your mind and creativity, your willingness to take chances.
In our workshops, we often use the phrase “elegantly simple.” It says it all.
For some examples, we take from our most recent workshop location.
We were photographing on one the sounds that run on the inside of the Outer Banks, and often, we are drawn to the pilings that sit out in the water. The evening light provided enough variation in color to attract my attention.
Early one morning, Arnie captured the motion of the waves dancing along the shore, the sky beyond providing complementary colors to set it all off. He gave it all a dreamlike effect.
I was wandering amongst the dunes at first light, careful to
not leave feet prints where others might wish to photograph and taking care not to trample any nascent Beach Peas or Sea Oats. I found this ridge that led to a shallow intent in the sand.
There is a spot that we always love to visit. The changing seas. tides, and light always present themselves in different combinations that keep luring us back. This was Arnie’s take on the scene.
You will see a version I did at the top.
So, experiment and see how you can come up with an elegantly simple composition that sings to you.
For more information on our workshops, go to Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures.
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Wonderful pictures and can’t agree more about keeping things simple. Just because technology lets us do all these “clever” things, doesn’t mean we have to use all the tools in the box.
A true professional can make things look fantastic using just the basics.
Keep up the good work.
Mike,
Thank you for your very kind compliments and for your thoughts on Less Is More. In our workshops, I always say, “Photoshop is not a verb!”
Take care,
TBC
It’s 10% camera and 90% human creativity. Also it’s 5% pushing the button and 90% planning, talking to the client, preparing, propping and then the human touch.
I’s even take the camera percentage down to 5% and raising the human creativity to 95% After all, great images have been made with the pin-hole camera. The camera is only a took that the mind uses to create stunning images.
Thanks for chiming in. I like your thinking.
Take care,
TBC
In defense of HDR, it seems like the period is over when this was a synonym for exorbitant colors and contrasts. Most of the online posts I see contain pictures which have certainly been improved by a gentle opening of shadows and reduction of burned out highs. After all, what’s the difference between using HDR or a split ND filter?
Don,
Great to hear from you. I will agree with you in part, but I still open up photo magazines and see a disturbing lack of what you know we call “the magic of light and mystery of shadow.” I think the difference between HDR and a graduated ND or split ND filter is that the latter is an easy way to allow more detail in the sky without flattening out the foreground. HDR tends to flatten the values out so that the eye is confused and does not know where to go. It is good that the newer versions of HDR programs have enabled people to avoid those hyper colors.
Thanks for writing, and …
Take care,
TBC
Thanks
Margo/Arnie– we might be an “endangered species” in the world of photography. I agree regarding your general assessment of HDR and keeping things simple. I notice that we have lost the presence of “mood” type photographs since the advent of digital. Seems like (almost) everyone feels the need to count every leaf on the tree, colors not found on the color wheel, etc. 🙂
Great photography you two! It takes me back to my film days.
Eli Vega, Colorado/USA
http://www.elivega.net
Eli,
Sometimes, I do think we date back to the Jurassic Period. Thanks for your nice comments and compliment!
Take care,
TBC/Arnie
Wonderful images indeed.
Jennifer,
It is gratifying that these images seem to really strike a chord with readers.
Thanks for writing, and …
Take care,
TBC
Lovely!
Thank you so much. So glad you like them!
Take care,
TBC
You’re correct, Margo,I always look for these ‘KISS’ pics. Often hard to find amongst the clutter, but worth the time and effort.
Mitch,
You have certainly come up with some in our workshops. That’s wonderful that you keep seeking them out.
Take care,
TBC
“You must have a really great camera…and I have really great pots and pans!” :-).
As always M&A, simple but stunningly beautiful images. I think I can speak for most, if not all, of your past worsshop participants when I say we all aspire to shoot like this. Every once in a while we’ll nail an image like these and we just sit there in amazement and say “wow”! Thank you both for taking your valuable time to help us along this wonderful (and sometimes frustrating) journey called photography.
“Anon”,
Thanks for your comments. Some day, we hope that most people will realize that it is not the camera, rather the concept/vision/passion combination that hopefully makes for a stunning or arresting image.
Take care,
TBC