“When people ask me what photography equipment I use – I tell them my eyes” – Anonymous
Eyes are an important part of photography – the physical eye of the photographer, the “photographers” eye of the photographer, and if photographing a portrait, the eyes of the subject. Many times I get asked what kind of camera I have because it takes nice pictures. Taking amazing photographs isn’t just about the equipment. Don’t get me wrong, having better equipment helps but it still takes the having a creative eye or the ability to see things in a unique way that pulls the viewer in.
“Sometimes the camera cannot capture beauty that the eye can see” – Anonymous
When I travel, I look at the various landscapes and think about ways to make them interesting and memorable. Do I frame the entire scene before me or focus on a particular element. Well, I don’t have a specific answer to give you, but I look at the scene and figure out the best way to make that landscape speak though the image.
This image of the Wrigley Building in Chicago was recently published in Shutter Up Magazine. When I was wandering around Chicago, I loved the look of this building. I could have taken a full side shot of the building in the city skyline but the clock in the tower caught my eye. I framed this image up to feature the clock. Weird fact about me – I like clocks. I have a few neat looking clocks in my house but they all say different times – I never change the batteries.
“Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.” David Alan Harvey
Any way, when you find something you want to photography, look at the scene before you and think about an interesting way to frame it up and create a memory. When I look at this image, I think about wandering the streets of Chicago in awe of the architecture.
When photography a subject with eyes, I always try to capture the emotion that the eyes show. If framed in the right way, the eyes can draw you right in. The eyes, whether open or closed can show a wide range of emotions.
“Sometimes the eyes can say more than the mouth” – Unknown
In this photo, I focused on the eyes, I feel like the eyes draw you right into this moment – the happiness and excitement of a wedding day.
Eyes can really draw you into an image. When I look at the image of this beautiful cat, I just stare into her eyes – I get lost thinking about what she is thinking. Most likely thoughts of the cat – “why are you bothering me”!
“When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.” -A.D. Williams
To really make eyes pop and draw you into the image, look for catch lights. Catch lights are a light source that causes the eyes to be highlighted in the image. This lights up the eyes and draws you into the image. In this image, you can see the catch lights in his eyes, the light makes his eyes pop and draws you right in. You can also see how his smile shows up in his eyes. He was playing a video game and there was a window right behind me causing the light to “catch” his eyes.
“Eye contact is way more intimate than words will ever be” – Unknown
This post is a part of a photography blog circle featuring photographers specializing in a variety of niches. To see what the next photographer is sharing for our weekly theme, “Eyes,” check out Jessica Wasik with Bark & Gold Photography, celebrating the joy and love between Pittsburgh pets and their people. Continue to click the link at the end of each post in the blog circle until you eventually find your way back here.
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