Choosing A Subject In Photography

How do you know what photos you will take?  Are you going to a family reunion?  Are you going out for a hike and hope to see some wildlife?  There are many questions when it comes to photography.  You will want to have a basis of photography techniques to provide the best photograph and once you learn those techniques the subject will be up to you.  Most photographers whether they are professional or amateurs like you will have a medium they work with.  It is the same with other artists; you have painters, sculptors, sketch artists, and much more.  Photography is art and therefore requires an eye for the right photograph.

How do you know what subject you will shoot?  This is where your interests lie.  If you wish only to take pictures of wildlife then you will have to wait for the subject to come into view.  Obviously you can go to a wildlife park such as the Rocky Mountain National Park and hope to find subjects.  Most often it will depend on the time of year.  Elk and Deer are more prominent when they come down the mountains to mate and eat.  Birds will always be available, but the type of birds will vary.  If you are in Alaska chances are you will have several chances of shooting a Bald Eagle, while in Florida you may find heron or cranes. 

When you are practicing techniques you will have to choose your subject accordingly.  A lot of us are regulated to the area around us.  Landscape photography requires the use of the land you have around you, unless you are going on vacation to some place new.  This is another important fact to choosing a subject.  You are either limited or you have the whole world at your feet.  It will depend on your traveling abilities.  For now we will stick close to home.

Once you choose your medium you will then go in search of subjects.  The subject that speaks to you is what you should choose to shoot.  If a tree and the knots it’s formed interest you, you will want to check the lighting of the area.  Deciding which angle to shoot from will also make the decision on the subject.  The lighting may not be right for the subject you have chosen and the other side of the subject may not yield the best picture. 

 

To choose a subject you will need a good eye for detail and observation.  Often the best subject is not the one you can see with a plain eye.  Have you ever looked at a tree and found a spider web hiding in the leaves?  If you look closer you might even find a spider.  A spider web can make a great picture not only because of the technique required to have the web show up in your photo with the silky threads, but also the pattern of a spider web.  We are fascinated with an organism that can create a symmetrical pattern.

Again your eye is the best tool for finding a subject.  How you choose the subject will depend on what is available, the angle and the light.  Moving slowly through an area such as landscape will help you determine the subject.  Looking under leaves or rocks is often beneficial to finding something new and different. You never know where you will find a picture just waiting for you to click a picture. Some people and animals do things that will never again happen and this is when you want to have camera available. Most people interested in photography carry a camera with them everywhere they go. If this sounds like a habit, a real habit turns into a hobby and a possible income if you become good at taking the right pictures. As you get better at taking the pictures, you can then start displaying your pictures for others to see and possibly buy.