Subject Matters
Mastering subject matter in photography is not just about technical prowess, it's about understanding the psychological elements that influence how an audience perceives an image. These elements can evoke emotions, convey powerful messages, or even alter how viewers interpret the subject. By refining these elements, photographers engage their audience on a deeper, more visceral level. Work to refine subject matter in your photography, making sure your photographs resonate with viewers in meaningful ways.
The Star of the Story
Every Picture Tells a Story, Don’t It? (I feel a song coming on). The story begins considering the subject's role in the narrative. What message or feeling do you want to convey? Whether it's a portrait, a landscape, or a still life, the subject should evoke an emotional response. Your goal is to capture not just a picture, but a story, a moment frozen in time that speaks to the viewer. The subject matter you choose holds the power to transform a simple snapshot into something far more impactful, a compelling photograph.
Set the Mood
The tones and lighting of a photograph are intimately tied to its subject matter. By manipulating lighting, composition, and subject focus, photographers can evoke a wide range of emotions: fear, joy, sadness, serenity, and more. The right lighting can not only highlight key features but also enhance the depth and mood of your image. Whether you’re working with natural light, studio setups, or experimental lighting techniques, how you illuminate your subject dramatically alters how it’s perceived.
Patience Waits for the Perfect Moment
Refining subject matter often requires patience. Whether it’s capturing a fleeting expression, perfect lighting, or the right moment in time, being patient enough to wait for the right shot can turn an ordinary scene into something extraordinary
Example: Steve McCurry’s “Afghan Girl”: This iconic portrait is known for its emotional intensity. The piercing green eyes of the young girl, combined with the stark background and her vulnerable expression, create a sense of mystery and empathy. Her direct gaze builds an emotional connection, drawing viewers into her world and evoking empathy.
Framing the Visual
Framing and composition are crucial in refining subject matter. The way you frame the subject within the composition can guide the viewer’s attention and direct their emotional response. Tools like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and symmetry help structure the visual flow of the image. By arranging the elements (foreground, middle, and background), you can enhance the impact of the subject. Focusing on certain aspects can convey authority, importance, or intimacy, while a blurred background (bokeh) can make the subject appear more isolated, singular, or vulnerable. Your composition shapes how the viewer connects with the subject and the message you’re trying to convey.
Example: Ansel Adams’ Landscape Photography: Adams’ famous black-and-white landscapes, particularly his shots of Yosemite National Park, often isolate natural elements like trees or mountains against dramatic skies. His sharp focus in the foreground and softer background creates a sense of depth, drawing attention to the subject and evoking feelings of awe and serenity.
Contrast Creates Tension
Contrast is a powerful psychological tool that highlights differences between elements within the image, such as light vs. dark, calm vs. chaotic. The psychological effect of contrast is to create tension, symbolizing conflict or dramatic change. By playing with contrast, photographers can evoke feelings of discomfort, urgency, or excitement.
Example: Robert Capa’s War Photography: In his famous photograph "The Falling Soldier," the stark contrast between the soldier’s violent fall and the calm background symbolizes the tension and unpredictability of war. This image doesn’t just capture a moment in time; it conveys the chaos and sudden danger of battle.
Symmetry Brings Harmony
Humans are instinctively drawn to balanced compositions. Symmetry can create a sense of harmony, order, and peace, while asymmetry often evokes unease, tension, or disarray. Finding balance in your images leads to a more harmonious experience for the viewer, guiding them to a deeper connection with the subject.
Example: Yousuf Karsh’s Portraits: Karsh’s portrait of Winston Churchill is a masterclass in symmetry. Churchill is centered, well-lit, and surrounded by a balanced composition, creating an authoritative and composed presence. The photograph reflects his power and control during turbulent times, capturing both his strength and vulnerability.
Space Gives Your Subject Room to Breathe
Space is an often-overlooked element in photography, but it can have a huge impact on how your subject is perceived. A crowded frame might make the subject feel overwhelmed or trapped, while using negative space around the subject can evoke feelings of isolation or loneliness. The use of space also helps create depth and scale, allowing the viewer to "breathe" as they process the image
Example: Gregory Crewdson’s Cinematic Scenes: Crewdson is known for using vast amounts of negative space in his scenes, which often depict characters dwarfed by their surroundings. This technique gives the subjects a sense of vulnerability and loneliness, adding psychological depth to the narrative.
Coloring Emotional Response
Color plays a significant role in how we interpret an image. Warm colors like red and orange often evoke passion, excitement, or danger, while cool colors like blue and green can convey calm, sadness, or solitude. By carefully choosing and manipulating colors, photographers can influence the emotional tone of an image.
Example: National Geographic Wildlife Photography: In wildlife photography, the use of color highlights the relationship between the animal and its environment. A lion set against a golden savanna backdrop evokes power and majesty, while a polar bear against a cold, icy landscape uses cooler colors to create a sense of fragility and isolation.
Gestalt Principles of Perception
Gestalt psychology explains how we perceive patterns and organization in visual stimuli. In photography, principles like proximity (grouping objects), similarity (objects perceived as part of a whole), and continuity (viewers following a visual path) help guide how we process and interpret the image.
Example: Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Street Photography: Cartier-Bresson’s famous "decisive moment" captures images where he uses proximity and continuity to create a visual narrative. His composition guides the viewer’s eye across the frame, pulling together seemingly random elements into a cohesive story.
Human Perception and Social Influence
Our reactions to human expressions, body language, and eye contact can dramatically alter how we perceive an image. A portrait with direct eye contact creates a stronger emotional connection compared to one where the subject looks away. Understanding these elements can help you create a more compelling photograph that resonates with the viewer.
Example: Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother”: Lange’s portrait of a mother and her children during the Great Depression conveys both resilience and hardship. The mother’s direct gaze, coupled with her weary expression, creates an emotional bond with the viewer, eliciting empathy and a deeper understanding of the era's struggles.
Narrative and Context: Adding Depth to Your Image
Context is crucial to refining subject matter. A photograph without context may seem visually interesting, but once you introduce context through or visual cues the psychological impact of the image can change dramatically.
Example: Kevin Carter’s “The Vulture and the Little Girl”: This haunting image, showing a young girl crawling toward food with a vulture watching her, gains emotional depth when the context of famine and poverty is understood. Without context, it may appear as a sad scene, but knowing the background makes it a powerful statement on human suffering and responsibility.
Refining Your Subject Matters
At Seacoast Photography School, we encourage our students to not only focus on the technical aspects of photography but also to consider the human elements that influence how viewers perceive their images. By understanding how contrast, framing, color, and perception interact, photographers can create more emotionally resonant and impactful photographs. Whether you’re capturing portraits, landscapes, or still life, refining your subject matter with these psychological insights will help your work stand out and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Photograph With All Your Might!