25 ways to WOW!!

A potpourri of ideas and compositional rules to

inspire your creativity.
By Gary Friedman
www.FriedmanArchives.com

By now you’ve read the book, have experimented with all

the controls, and you’re comfortable with your digital
camera and how to use it. Great! Now let’s stimulate
your right brain by addressing creativity. Unlike Appendix
B, which provided a cookbook for situations where your
camera’s automatic exposure would surely not work
right, this booklet is designed to address creativity while
safely leaving the camera in “P” (fully automatic) exposure
mode (most of the time). Let the camera do what it does
best, while you work on developing your eye for
composition – what the human does best!

V 1.1
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0. PRE-VISUALIZE!
That’s right – this is Number Zero! Technically,
this hint doesn’t count as a separate
compositional technique because it should
ideally be applied to every picture taking
situation you find yourself in. It is a mindset, a
kind of “zen” which is always a precursor to a
photographic masterpiece, no matter which of
the techniques in this guide you choose to
employ. Hence, the number zero – this applies
to everything.
Very simply, it is always best to have a mental
picture of your final image in your mind before
you pick up your camera. Having such an
Figure 1 – I had this image in my mind before spending an
image will easily guide you in terms of hour trying to create it. To get this shot, I used some
composition and exposure, and you will bungee cords to strap the camera and a wide-angle lens to
automatically know when you are done my chest, pre-focused, and used continuous shooting
shooting. Pre-visualizing your image means mode. Finally, I attached a remote release cord and put it in
your masterpieces aren’t hit-and-miss; but rather “Lock” mode so that the camera would take a picture every
½ second without anyone touching it. It took 8 spins and
they are pre-meditated pieces of artwork. They many deleted images to get this one shot.
require fewer exposures to get the intended shot,
25 ways to “Wow!” 3

so the amount of shooting goes down but

your percentage of great shots goes way
up. All of the great photographers
through the ages have used this
technique.
So, as you and your camera traverse the
world, and as you thumb through this
booklet looking for sources of
inspiration for your next shot, always be
thinking about how the finished image
will look enlarged on your wall. If you
mentally pre-visualize the final image,
your chances of coming up with
something magical and memorable will
increase significantly!
Figure 2 This too was a planned and staged shot. (The best shots often are!)
I was in the former Soviet Union, documenting a cultural exchange between
Soviet and American high school students. After arriving at the beach at
10:30 PM, I focused on the 3 dancers, using spot metering on the open sky
just above the sun. Two shots and I knew I had what I wanted.
4 Imaging Special

1. Strong, Clean Composition

This is very basic, but it’s being mentioned first
because it is all too often overlooked and it’s the
single easiest thing you can do to improve your
pictures right away.
The most dramatic shots are often those without
clutter – you have a subject, you have a
background, and that’s it. Most people only think
about the subject when shooting, and only notice
distracting background elements once they get
home. Compose carefully with an eye for
distractions and your photos will end up with more
“punch”.

Figure 3 Using the rule of 3rds plus an uncluttered

background can make even the most mundane
subject suddenly seem photo-worthy.
25 ways to “Wow!” 5

Figure 4 This was a strong composition which was made Figure 5 This was shot taken during a welcome home
for the cover of an ironworks catalog. I intentionally left parade for “our troops”.
space on the top for the company logo and other heading
info.
6 Imaging Special

2. Repeating Patterns
Recall that in Chapter 6 we discussed
how every picture has a subject, and that
subject will look best when placed using
the “Rule of Thirds”.
Well, guess what? Just like every other
“rule”, there are exceptions. You can
have an image composed entirely of a
repeating pattern, and therefore can
dispense with a subject altogether. The
image in Figure 6 is such an example, as
is (are) the red sands shot in Chapter 6.
Or, sometimes you can combine rules –
have a repeating pattern and add a subject
(placed using the Rule of Thirds). Figure Figure 6 - This is an infinite pattern of an outside wall of a house –
8 proves the validity of this technique, made up entirely of bottles.
since neither the pattern nor the subject
have to be interesting to make the shot
effective. ☺
25 ways to “Wow!” 7

Figure 7 - Repeating patterns don’t necessarily require a

subject. Figure 8 - You can break the monotony if you wish,
just make sure your subject is placed using the Rule
of Thirds.
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3. Form and Texture

This is very similar to the repeating pattern above.
Again, no subject is required; the viewer’s eyes are
drawn to light and texture only. A shot of pure
texture (repeating or not) can be engaging all on its
own.

Figure 9 - Light and texture make this shot work. Figure 10 - A photo showing texture doesn’t have to
have a specific subject.
25 ways to “Wow!” 9

4. Strong Color
Color itself can be used as a subject. The shots on this and
the next page show strong color coupled with strong light,
which is essential to get the colors to look so bold.
There is a downside to relying on this technique too much,
though, especially if your goal is to shoot for publication.
Your shots should be able to stand on their own as
sometimes they will be printed in Black-and-White. Case
in point: My China travelogue was recently published in
book form, and the affordable version was in black-and-
white. (http://www.lulu.com/content/252740) Nothing
makes a photographer cringe as much as seeing their
wonderfully colorful work deprived of its brilliance!

Figure 11 - Another example of strong color and bold

composition.
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Figure 12 - Strong color (and a repeating pattern – see how it pays to combine rules? ☺) make for high-impact shots.
25 ways to “Wow!” 11

5. Creative Blur
Not everything has to be “razor sharp” to make it
meritorious. You can use blur intentionally to convey action
or to provide an emotional feel.

Figure 13 - Light too low to freeze the action?

Then try for a sense of motion and grace.

Figure 14 - Using a tripod and shutter speed of 2

seconds, the man’s moving legs seem to disappear
while his relatively stable torso remains visible. Figure 15 - An intentional blur can make for
an unexpected shot.
12 Imaging Special

6. Wait for the right light

Light is everything in photography, and the
time of day can certainly make a difference
between a good shot and a great one.
Figure 16 provides some examples. The
image shown in Figure 17 (next page) was
“good enough”, but I waited an additional
90 minutes for the sun to set and the light to
improve. Figure 18 is the result.
Often if you’re shooting anything outdoors,
there is a time of day when the light on the
subject is better than at any other time.
And, because cameras are more finicky
about light than the human eye, it can really
pay to come back at a different time to take
a picture that looks noticeably better.

Figure 16 – The best time of day for these pictures was at

twilight. I waited for it.
25 ways to “Wow!” 13

Figure 17 - Nothing wrong with this shot… Figure 18 … but waiting about 90 minutes can
make a huge difference in appearance. The right
light can make the difference between an OK shot
and a really good one.
14 Imaging Special

7. Selective focus
Sure, you know that using a wide f/stop (like f/2.8) will
increase the fuzziness of out-of-focus subjects, but what
can you do with this knowledge? Highlight your subject
when you can’t get an uncluttered background, or lead the
viewer’s eye toward the subject naturally.

Figure 20 – Using an 85mm portrait lens set all

Figure 19 – Using as large an f/stop as possible (in this case
f/2.8), you can force your subject to be the thing your
viewer’s eyes naturally gravitate toward.
the way open at f/1.4, a very narrow depth-of-
field can be realized so only a part of the face
remains in focus. (This is an extreme example…
but it does draw the viewer’s eye to where you
want!!)
25 ways to “Wow!” 15

8. Alter your Point of View

Sometimes just moving a few feet left or right will make a world of difference! At a higher level, here
is the procedure I use when I’m faced with a challenging subject:
1. First, I just take a shot.
2. Then I think about how to make it better. Tweak the exposure? Better composition? Try moving
left or right for a better point of view or less distracting background.
3. Then I go for an “out-of-the-box” shot and try to think of something completely different.
Sometimes it doesn’t work; but at least you have some options to choose from.

Figure 21 – It looked OK when I looked at it, but when I Figure 22 – Just a slight change of position – in this
snapped this picture from my own point of view, the case,, getting down on the ground and shooting
subject got lost in the background. upward – saved the shot and allowed the unusual
heart-shaped branch ends to be clearly visible..
16 Imaging Special

Figure 23 – The creative sequence involved in trying to find a good composition for this
interesting statue. The procedure is: 1) Get the shot 2) try and make it better 3) try for
something unusual. After you’re done, your first images often seem kind of boring.
25 ways to “Wow!” 17

9. An Earthworm’s Perspective
If your creative juices aren’t flowing adequately, consider what
the world looks like from the point of view of an earthworm. In
short, get down on the ground and get dirty!

Figure 25 – This was a photo of a children’s

playground slide as seen from the ground.
The underside was lined with mirrors, which
from this angle reflects the sand beneath it. A
Figure 24 – A windmill as seen from below. strange shot indeed!
18 Imaging Special

10. Off With Their Heads!

Unintuitive as it may seem, in some situations it’s OK
to cut off the tops of people’s heads when taking
photos. This technique is very effective when you’re
doing intense portraits where you really want to
concentrate on the person you’re photographing. Three
examples are presented below.

Figure 26 – Close-cropping, even if it’s cutting back on your

subject, can actually make the picture more engaging. Figure 27 - More examples..
25 ways to “Wow!” 19

11. Vanishing Point and parallel lines

The concept of converging lines, usually associated with
distance and “going on forever”, is a useful visual trick for
guiding the eye as it wanders through your image.

Figure 28 - .Tracks in the Sand. In this image, after first

catching the user’s attention, the eye is naturally drawn to the
bottom center and then goes straight up. EVERYONE’s eyes
will do this. (Yours just did!)
Figure 29 -.A classic exercise in perspective,
where the buildings and the people all shrink as
they get closer to the vanishing point (past the
left edge in the picture).
20 Imaging Special

12. Frames within Frames

Sometimes you can include a frame within your picture, which then frames your subject.

Figure 30 - .Frames will naturally draw the viewer’s eyes Figure 31 - One of the Smithsonian buildings
to your subject. framed by a local piece of artwork.
25 ways to “Wow!” 21

13. Pan with the action

This is a classic technique used by just about every
racing photographer on the planet. Usually the rule
is “Use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action of
things that are moving fast”. However, with a little
bit of practice and skill, you can go for this very
dramatic effect. The trick is to shoot at a slower
shutter speed – say, 1/30th or 1/15th of a second –
and move the camera along with your subject so
that the subject remains at the center of the picture
during the exposure. Because the camera is
moving, the background will appear blurry, but
because the subject is not moving relative to the
picture, it appears to be sharp.
This is not an intuitive technique, and in order to
make it work properly you should practice holding
Figure 32 -.Panning with the subject using a slow shutter
the camera perfectly steady while you twist your speed can really grab attention. Every racing photographer
upper body fast enough and smoothly enough to employs this technique.
track your moving subject.
22 Imaging Special

14. Show animals in action

Having animals actually doing something (as opposed to simply having a stoic portrait) makes for a
more engaging shot.

Figure 33 - .Animals are always more interesting when they’re in action. This
shot used a 200mm lens, a fast shutter speed (1/1000th of a second) and a
flash.
25 ways to “Wow!” 23

15. Dramatic skies and wide-angle

lenses
Normally landscapes using a wide angle lens can be
quite challenging, especially since there’s likely no
subject, and wide angle lenses will often minimize
whatever subject you do have if they’re not carefully
placed. This is one reason taking eye-catching
pictures of the Grand Canyon can be very, very
difficult.
Using wispy clouds as a subject and placing the
horizon using the Rule of 3rds (that’s becoming a
recurring theme, isn’t it?) saved the shot in the top
half of Figure 34, which could easily have been just
another boring snapshot.

Figure 34 - .Using a wide-angle lens to highlight the clouds in

an otherwise plain (and boring) landscape.
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16. False Perspective

There are many ways to take advantage
of the 2-dimensional nature of
photographic images. Whereas in three
dimensions we can ascertain depth, in
2D the distance information is gone
and we can do some clever things that
involve transposing distance and size.

Figure 35 - Take advantage of the fact that in 2D you can’t really

tell how far away something is. Don’t forget to use a small f/stop
(like f/11 or f/22) to ensure that both subjects are in focus.

Figure 36 – ‘Whoa! That guy’s holding the Taj

Mahal!” These kinds of shots are called “Forced
Perspective”.
25 ways to “Wow!” 25

17. Anticipate the Action

As mentioned in the book, there are two ways to get that “Luck
shot”. The first (and most prevalent) is “Shoot 1,000 images and
hope for the best”. (Regretfully many Olympic photographers have
become guilty of this, because of the pressures of their assignment.)
The other is “Shoot with both eyes open and anticipate what’s going
to happen next”. Being ready for the shot makes all the difference.

Figure 38 – Anticipate what’s going to

happen so you won’t have to wait for
your camera to catch up.
Figure 37 – Bottom of the 9th and bases loaded, I knew
that shooting the audience at the time the suspense
broke would be more interesting than the game itself. I
moved down a few rows and waited 10 minutes to get
this shot.
26 Imaging Special

18. Tell only part of the story and leave people guessing
These kinds of images are more difficult because they
require a little more thought beyond the standard
compositional rules. A single image is, in effect, the most
brief form of storytelling.
With the example in Figure 40 I wanted to evoke a reaction;
to get people to think about the story that was being
presented. I did NOT want people to say, “Gee, what a
beautiful image!” Instead, they all said, “Where’s the rest of
her?!”

Figure 40 - .EVERYONE who sees this shot says

Figure 39 - .What are the first three things you “Where’s the rest of her?” And that’s exactly
think when you see this shot? the reaction I wanted to invoke.
25 ways to “Wow!” 27

19. Silhouettes
If there’s any technique that I’m guilty of overusing, it’s probably the combination of sunset shots with
silhouettes placed according to Rule of Thirds. An example appears in Figure 42; but many more can
be found in my sunsets gallery (www.FriedmanArchives.com/Sunsets - case sensitive!). Although all
images in that gallery use exactly the same compositional formula, everyone who sees it usually blurt
out “Wow!” (My goal of “Wow!” has been achieved!!)

Figure 41 – Yet another successful combination of sunset,

silhouette, and Rule of Thirds. Figure 42 – Yet another example. A whole gallery of
these kinds of shots can be found in my Sunsets gallery
online.
28 Imaging Special

20. Zooming in during exposure

Here’s a technique that was very impressive
before the days of Photoshop. For the shot
below I put my camera on a tripod and took a
long exposure to capture the cityscape from a
mountain top. The exposure was about 30
seconds long, but during the last 10 seconds I
turned the zoom ring on my lens very slowly.
The result was that only the brightest parts of
the cityscape registered during this zooming
period, etching bright lines onto the image.
A very cool effect!

Figure 43 – Taking a time exposure, and then zooming in during the

last 10 seconds, can yield a very impressive cityscape.
25 ways to “Wow!” 29

21. Orchestrate your shot

When I was just starting out in photography, I thought
it was unethical to stage shots, especially when you’re
doing National Geographic-type documentary and
travel photography. Guess what? All the best
photographers employ this technique at one time or
another, and it almost always results in the most eye-
catching images. I no longer am a purist in this regard
(although I still seek to keep all computer retouching
Figure 44 – A pre-arranged shot of dorm residents at
to a minimum). twilight.. I had the students hold perfectly still for about
10 minutes, while I took several bracketed shots

Figure 45 – “Hi! Could you please sit on that bench

Figure 46 – Another example.
for just a minute while I take your picture?”
30 Imaging Special

22. In-your-face shots with a fisheye lens.

There is a special class of wide-angle lens called a “fisheye” lens,
named so because of its ability to distort what’s in the frame of
view (similar to how we think a fish sees). These lenses are most
often used in shots to convey massiveness (Figure 47) and for
eerie-looking portraits taken at close range (Figure 48). (If
you’ve ever wondered what was the big deal about portraiture
lenses, the fastest answer is “because they do the opposite of
this.” ☺)

Figure 48 – An unusual portrait taken with a

fisheye lens standing about 1 foot away from
the subject.
Figure 47 – “Architectural shots using fisheye lenses tend to
distort everything, especially in the corners.
25 ways to “Wow!” 31

23. Get up extra early

This doesn’t require
much explanation.
Morning time is a
magic time of day. Get
up, walk around, and
see what you find!

Figure 49 – The early bird catches the worm Figure 50 – An un-staged shot taken at the
using the most beautiful light of the day. waterfront at sunrise.
 32 Imaging Special

24. Get playful with shadows and Silhouettes

Figure 51 Up in the Ozark Mountains s there is a giant statue Figure 52 – Hey, what’s a shadow for if you can’t have
of Jesus. Although a picture of the statue by itself might have some fun with it??
been OK, two friends who imitated the statue made the final
image a bit more playful.
25 ways to “Wow!” 33

25. Whistle While You Work

When taking pictures of toddlers or animals, use a whistle!
You know, the kind referees use. Keep it in your mouth and
only blow it after you’ve properly composed and have locked
focus on your subject. If it’s a rare sound it will get their
attention every time!

Figure 54 - …or when you’re ready to have

your subject have that “Hey… are you talking to
Figure 53 - Blow a whistle when you’re ready for your me?” look.
subject to have that alert look….
34 Imaging Special

Thank you for purchasing this booklet!

I hope this booklet stimulated your right-brain creative thinking – the most important ingredient in great
photography.

Remember, when it comes to photography, the best place to be is usually wherever you are, so explore
your environment in a whole new way and don’t be afraid to experiment!

Sincerely,
-Gary Friedman
www.FriedmanArchives.com