Subject
Every Picture Needs a Subject
by Tim Webb
The world of photography is constantly changing. But the one thing that never changes is the fact that every picture needs a subject. A picture without a subject is like a house with no furniture. Nobody cares about a picture without subject. It leaves no impact. It has no power. It’s like having a large group of people with no leader. Having a subject goes hand in hand with good design. I learned in journalism school that a newspaper page or magazine spread has to have a point of entry. The same holds true for a photo, without a subject, the person looking at it will simply go on to something else.
As the photographer, you are the parent of the photograph. You have to create a point of interest that pulls people into the photo like a vacuum. This represents the artistic side of photography. So many photographers make the mistake of putting all their efforts into the technical side of photography, such as camera brands, and megapixels, without giving any regard to the artistic side of photography that creates composition.
A picture can be technically sound, but if it lacks creativity and a good point of interest, then it becomes wasted, the eye and the brain just drift away. Anytime I take a picture with lots of people, I pick one person that stands out, and that person then becomes my subject. Sometimes it takes patience to let this develop. Then the other people and the rest of the frame automatically become secondary subjects. I can usually make this work with a slightly lower depth of field that will blur everything except my subject. If you are photographing a field of flowers, pick one flower to focus on as your subject. Let the rest of the field become a supporting cast.
A Louisville fan raises his hand among 56,000+ at Commonwealth Stadium
Even in Times Square, I waited until I could make one person my primary subject among thousands of people.
In large crowd, I always search for one primary subject.
In a sea of students gathered for a 9-11 candelight vigil, I found one focal point to tell the story.
Many times I use secondary subjects to provide a better overall illustration of the moment, which was the case for the little boy receiving his first hair cut.
Even with supplemental subjects, such as the barbie doll on the floor, the little girl's eyes still serve as the subject.
The little jockey on the right is the obvious subject in this mock Kentucky Derby at Garth Elementary in Georgetown.
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