Exclusion

Composition is critical in all types of photography. Deciding what to exclude is just as important as what to include: a simple image is more likely to generate a strong message.

After a challenging and very fun workshop at the National Art Gallery with Harry Nowell, I stepped away from the camera until the next day. Also recommended by Peter Cox, this separation allows you to review your images with a fresh eye. You may see elements in a photo you may have discarded during a hectic shoot: a busy photo may pair down to a single subject.

It may be as simple as cropping the image or removing the colour.

Or it may involve removing distracting elements such as a branch or stump.

Either way, exclusion is a powerful tool in the crafting of an image.

Thanks to Sandra Finnes for modelling for the above images. And thanks to all those who participated and shared in the Natural Light workshop.