Photography 101: Create Visual Energy

Create Visual Energy

Look for ways to convey a sense of energy in your photographs otherwise your images will be flat and boring. There are many ways to invoke a sense of energy in you photographs. You could use lines or shapes of the scene that tilt or point in opposite directions.  This method gives the eyes multiple paths to follow through the image; for example branches of trees going in different directions.

Lines and Shapes

Shimmering Orange is a tranquil nature photograph of a tall Maple Tree in bold orange autumn coloring against a solid blue sky at Battery Park in New Castle, Delaware. This photograph was created from a resting position underneath the tree to capture the glow of the leaves in the sunlight and the strong details of the bark of the tree. Title: Shimmering Orange Photographer: Melissa Fague Genre: Nature Photography This image can only be licensed through Getty Images; for more info please visit: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/shimmering-orange-royalty-free-image/503844495

Movement

You could use movement that is going on in your scene such as the soft flowing water meandering through a river and over rocks. This doesn’t just apply for nature and landscape photography but all types of photography.

Hoope's Falls in the Autumn is a landscape photograph of the little waterfall on the Brandywine River in front of Hoope's Reservoir in Wilmington, Delaware and a array of colorful leaves lining the river banks. Title: Hoope's Falls in the Autumn Photographer: Melissa Fague Genre: Landscape Photography

Light

Humans are drawn to light. Our eyes naturally seek out the brightest spots of a scene, the same thing applies when we view photographs. Most people do not realize they do this, so using the light of your scene can give your photograph a sense of inspiration and joy instantly to the viewer with minimum effort on the photographers part.

Sun Rays Through Treetops is a beautifully inspiring landscape photograph that was created in the wooded area of Iron Hill Park located in Newark, Delaware. Title: Sun Rays Through Treetops Photographer: Melissa Fague Genre: Landscape Photography

Colors

Just like light most people to not realize that the colors they see effect their feelings about things. With photography colors can energize a scene, soften a scene, darken a scene…so on an so forth. To energize a scene use warmer tones that you find in nature such as sunset.

Sunset on the Marsh 2 is a dreamy landscape photograph created to artistically document the subtle movements of the marsh grasses in the breeze at sunset. Title: Sunset on the Marsh 2 Photographer: Melissa Fague Genre: Landscape Photography

Because nature is an array of shapes, colors, and features most of the elements are visible in all nature and landscape photographs, it’s the photographers job to figure out what the emphasis should be focused on from the scene in each photograph. Because photography is so subjective there is no right or wrong answer, it is completely up to the creative vision of the photographer. So play with all of them and have fun while doing it :).

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