Aesthetics

Aesthetic can be defined as pleasing in appearance. A photographer should strive to capture an image that should visually please the viewer. Something that will make the viewer want to stay in that image.


Okay, so this blog is going to be more of a rant from me...or opinion on what I believe to be aesthetically pleasing.


First of all, I do not find high contrast, high key portraits (especially outdoor ones) to be pleasing. The burned out highlights make the photographer look amateurish. I know people go for that look but please, limit it. I don't want my eyes to be burned by the blown out highlights in your images.
I find low key images to be more pleasing. The subtle lighting and controlled highlights can make an image pop. It is a great tool to control the viewer's attention as well.

They eye usually goes to the brightest to the darkest part of an image.

Low key images can give a sense of drama as well. We've all seen the interrogation rooms on TV cop shows, with the dark room and single light.


A window light portrait exposed for dramatic lighting.

I have noticed alot of photographers that crank the contrast and saturation on their cameras. First thing that comes to my mind as for why someone would do this is to imitate the super saturation of Velvia. Now I admit I've been guilty of this too. Heck there is even a picture control I made for my camera called Velvia. So I can't complain about that. What I can grip about is the tendency of people to destroy a good sunrise/sunset with over cranking contrast and saturation.

Keep it natural, its more appealing that way.

  

More to come...