In Joel Meyerowitz’s recent book ‘How I Make Photographs‘, which I’m currently enjoying he says:
You’ve got a frame, which you’re going to fill with things that appeal to you. So what’s important in the frame? What should you include? What should you leave out?
And what he points out next is I believe pretty darn important:
If you look at what’s around an object and not just at the object itself, you can find interesting combinations. So stay alert and build up what’s in the frame. You don’t want to just take a picture; you want to make a photograph.
He sets the challenge – to create a picture within a picture, a frame within a frame.
So off I went for an hour’s walk around my home town with my eyes open for such an opportunity. I had to visit my allotment to do some watering but once I’d done that I looked around. My first attempt didn’t work:
I was trying to get the line of daffodil leaves as a clearly defined row but it was too messy.
I was happier with this which I took as I left:
The frame of the polytunnel doesn’t exactly frame the shed but the two objects are an interesting combination and the shadow/ light play nicely on the curved arches.
In the older part of town there are alleyways between houses so I took a couple of photos with the thought that the stone walls would frame the view at the end. Two barking dogs emerged from the first so while they add an interesting element I rushed the shot a little, also a step to the left and I’d have got the sign completely in:
I’m happier with the second, the local joiners yard:
I think I’ve overdone the editing but there is an actual frame here with the shutter door at the top and the alley walls on the sides. Then the workshop door is open so another view of machines in the shadows beyond.
Learning I’ve taken away is to both look for framing opportunities and for objects in combination.
I’d recommend this book – it’s only a paperback but full of inspirational ideas if you need a focus for your next photography walk.