Workflow
Idea
The word idea comes from the greek ιδέα “form, pattern,” from the root of ἰδεῖν idein, “to see”.In philosophy, ideas are usually construed as mental representational images of some object. “Image in a frame” means make your imagination the protagonist of your images. When trying to photograph, fantasy will determine your result. Everything starts out of motivation to show the others what you’re really creating. Elements like scenes, light, colour, feelings, situations etc. are all around us providing inspiration. When you’re making an image you’re trying to “speak” with others in a different way. The language is the image and what you’re trying to say is the actual subject of the image. That’s why your “language” must be crystal clear in order to achieve perfect correspondence. One of the main tools for those “discussions” are the cameras and the peripherals (computers, cards, tripods etc). These tools can help you speak clear and loud so that the listeners can enjoy your dialogues.That makes the idea a significant step to make your imagination a reality.
Visualize
Visualization is the most important part of photography! It’s the part that gives the photographer the possibility to play games (real on unreal) and distinguishes the creative one. Success is guaranteed when a photographer can visualize a scene or a situation. Especially when visualization is combined with the appropriate tools! Visualize your image from A to Z without having your camera gear with you. Make your photograph the language with all the necessary details be the letters of that language. For example: the aperture, the forms in the frame, the shutter speed or even the color graduation of your image can give the desirable result. Nostalgic or happy, melancholic or spiritual feelings can be described by those small details. Explore your needs by visualizing and express yourself through photography. Ansel Adams said “Visualization is the single most important factor in photography”.
Schedule your photoshoot
The next big step to create a photograph is to schedule your shoot. Start dreaming by placing yourself in situations or ideal environmental setups. That’s the best you can do since being at the field is half of a good photograph. You can observe important details such as the sun or moon position, the anaglyph of the terrain, big mountain or sea reflections, shadows etc. That’s why it’s really important to know the capability of your gear in order to achieve an accurate result. The more you know about your camera the better results you can get. Through practice, knowledge and experience you can get amazing results. Try to sketch your image before you shoot it and the result will be really close to what you imagine. Forms and shapes without color can offer great knowledge about image synthesis.
Shoot
When holding your camera try to act in a “minimal” way. In order to achieve that, move close to the subject and cut out every unnecessary detail. Try using the rule of thirds, experiment with the forms and catch unusual points of view in order to give your photography a different perspective. Another “trick” which helps making your images unique is by using leading lines to actually lead the viewer’s eyes. When creating the frame it’s useful to combine similar objects in different angles or ways. It’s also important to change the shutter speed more often that the aperture. Keep in mind that moving elements/objects such as clouds or water are a very interesting part of your photograph since they give the sense of movement when combined with slow shutter speeds. Color theory must be a chapter by itself as well. Analogous, complimentary, split complimentary, monochromatic, triadic, diad are parts which cannot be ignored in photography. Last -but not least- light, the majestic element of photography. The major player in this field which reveals unseen results. You can take the same photograph under different light conditions and the results will vary in so many ways. As for the technical support of your work, a light and steady tripod is an ideal companion. All above require good knowledge of your camera in order to be able to work the best of it.
Post Processing
The next important step is processing the images we took. Nowadays, post processing requires much more time than the actual shooting process. Digital tools can give a different perspective to each image and offer various results such as realistic, surrealistic, artistic etc. In 1992 the word Photoshop was added to the english dictionary. Therefor new techniques or “tricks” were grown, changing our aesthetic result/opinion. Out of one photo shooting we can achieve many different results depending on the production technique. Large image files and how to behave with them is also a significant part. Be able to change the dynamic of your photography through the workshop’s digital process.