I’ve been in the game for a while, and along the way, there have been a few “new” things. New flash, diffuser, script, softbox, continuous light panel, LED, animation, animation, mirrorless camera, the list goes on and on, not to mention Photoshop and Lightroom, things update more often than i wash the sheet. But the “new” I didn’t expect to encounter was a new use of photography that made me rethink composition: Instagram.
I am a commercial photographer. I shoot a lot of work from productions to sports, but there’s one thing all of my works have in common: they all end up on ‘Gram. Taking photos with this new use, I find myself constantly re-guessing my works. With a background in fine arts, our professors guide us in composition.
“There is no clear focus here.”
“Your negative space does not attract me.”
“I needed more dynamism on the edges of the frame.”
“Is this centering done on purpose? My eyes don’t move around; it’s stuck in the middle. ”
I still hear my 2D Design teacher, Mrs. Poindexter, tear me to pieces if my “sense of balance” is off.
But lately, instead of the voices of my professors, I now hear some of my clients as I shoot: “Is there a way to shoot wider? The photo was cropped for Instagram. “
I worked on this series last month for a kombucha brand. I made a set of images where I put lipstick on the model, matching the taste of the drink. I composed the image from the top of her lips to the bottom of the bottle. I strategically placed a straw with bold stripes, drawing the viewer’s eye down from the lips to the bottle. My final take: a punch of color in negative space, but not so much to take away from the visual heft.
Boom! Nail it.
Then that discouraging thought: “They’re going to have to cut for Instagram! What will they cut? Not lips. Not the product. c. “
I zoomed out and shot it again.
“What a horrible shot. Shoulders. What is that, a Head and Shoulders commercial? There’s too much negative space. The font on the bottle is now too small, that’s the whole point! This shot doesn’t work! . Can I distribute it and add a note that these are meant to be garbled? No.”
I texted the owner and asked if she wanted me to take a picture of the square. The new one Canon EOS R5 there is that possibility. She says “no” because they can use the images for banners, prints, and for websites.
In this and many others, I find myself thinking, “Do I shoot for composition or usage?” As a commercial photographer, I feel compelled to make work that is usable for its intended purpose. As an artist, I don’t like and completely reject the idea of doing a photograph that I’m not proud of. So what do we do when we know about this square’s usage?
I was determined to create images that stood on their own. I can offer square shots, but I can’t provide poorly composed images. I still feel a little apprehensive about imagining marketing executives sitting at their desks, trying to work on certain pieces, but I decided to switch to a balanced image and let the rest. find out for yourself.
What is your opinion? Do you shoot for composition or usage? Of course, in many shots, they were not opposed to each other; But when they are, which direction will you go? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
