Top 5 Clichés Photographers Should Avoid
Now before everyone starts to get his or her pitchforks and torches out to burn me as the monster, I will admit that a something only attains cliché status if there is some sort of intrinsic value or value within itself. The idea that all clichés are bad and should be avoided is not necessarily true. However, many clichés have been done to death and should be avoided at all costs…at least in my opinion.
Many of the following can be done well and actually be considered wonderful images, but if they are overdone, used in excess, or become too random and unnecessary, then they will attain cliché faux pas.
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Unnecessary Black and White
Black and White images have a great quality and can really make people notice details that might otherwise be lost in a cacophony of color, but if the image is not interesting in and of itself, changing the color image to black and white will not make it a good image. Use black and white sparingly and when appropriate when “less is more”, not simply because you can de-saturate an image in your post processing application.
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Unnecessary Selective Color
Many people have been very successful with the creative use of selective color in images. However, because of the impact that some of these photographs have had on many people, others take it to the extreme. How many prom pictures, wedding shots, portraits, and children’s shots have you seen that use selective color to try to make something stand out in a photo? The key to using selective color properly is to compose the shot so that your intended subject stands out whether it is full color or black and white. If you can accomplish this, then you might consider using selective color to make the shot more impactful, but do not use it as a means to ‘repair’ and otherwise poorly composed or exposed image.
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Watermarks and Borders
So many people out there want to make their photos look ‘cool’ and make sure that everyone knows who took the shot. What you end up with is a gaudy border (usually a heavy Gaussian blur or ‘grunge’ borders) and a large obstructive and invasive watermark of the photographers (so called) name. There is nothing wrong with applying some creative bordering to help frame the image from time to time, especially if it is going to be displayed digitally. There is nothing wrong with having your name on a photo, but when they become the focus of the image, then you are moving away from the art of photography and into the arena of graphic design. Remember, simple is always better, and less is more in this case. Allow your clients to choose a frame they like and use a tasteful watermark to keep you name on the photo. If you are really concerned with protecting your work from being stolen, track your photos with TinEye to protect yourself.
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Writing on Photos
Unless you are making a calendar, or you are intending to create some sort of greeting card, writing on a photo is a horrible idea. If you are trying to create an image, you are taking careful consideration of the entire composition. The image only includes those things you choose for it to include. Why then, would you want to cover a portion of that image with words? Writing on photos screams amateur. It is almost as if you are saying, “This photo does not possess enough quality to evoke any emotion or thought to the viewer, therefore I must tell you.” If you are doing a portrait of someone, there simply is no need to put their name on it; anyone interested in viewing the image knows who the individual in the portrait is, or they really don’t care. Simply put…don’t write on your images.
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Dutch Angles or Tilted Shots
There is a time and a place to use Dutch Angles. Typically, titled shots are not a problem if they angle of tilt is not too severe. Dutch angled shots are used to convey certain emotions or ‘feels’ to the viewer. Sometimes they are used to convey the sense that something is ‘not quite right’, and other times they are used to draw more attention or interest. However, when people misuse the ‘tilt’ is when they are simply trying to get more information in the frame and therefore tilt the camera to achieve this and end up ruining their image. If you find yourself tilting the camera to include more details in your shot, then you should stop yourself and reconsider. You might change the focal length on your lens to a wider angle to include more of the details or simply move farther away from the subject to achieve more detail. Simply tilting the camera because you have seen some really neat shots that use the technique is not a good reason at all.
Remember, all of these Top 5 No-No’s have a time and a place in which to be used. You must simply be aware of the choices you make and use them sparingly and only when necessary to enhance your images. Be intentional about all aspects of your art and concentrate on the basics of composition and exposure instead of trying to make a better image using tricks and gimmicks. There is nothing wrong with emulating well made images, but you must be sure that you understand why they were done before you apply that lesson to your images.
There are 4 comments on this post.
Trackback URL | Comments RSS FeedI agree with all but one. Monochromatic or B/W images to me are an artistic choice. Many of my shots, especially the animals are done in Mono and not for any of the reasons listed. Many artists as well strictly shoot for Mono; so how should it be used sparingly?
Nice write up anyhow. I’ll give you your opinion, however subjective it may be.
A.Barlow » I do agree with you, issue at hand is many faced and not really applicable to every photographer in the wild. In this article I was referring to very slim category of enthusiasts who put BW on everything without considering the value conversion actually adds.
p.s. I saw your portfolio, it is nice, keep it up!
I ordered a bag after a photo shoot and when the photographer handed it to me they had put their logo on it. No warning. A big ugly green logo on a bag that was chosen in black and white on purpose. They went on to tell me that they signed their photos and enlargements. I thought it was pathetic.
Victoria Rose » yep, that’s pathetic… I do sign my photos for web distribution, but logo on a printed material sounds really pathetic.