This month’s guest speaker at our photo club was Jeff Johnson, a Colorado photographer who does a lot of nature photography. You can find Jeff’s work online at his Soul Images Gallery website.

One of the key things he stressed during his presentation was his goal as a photographer: Create images that evoke an emotional response from the viewer. Through previsualization he sees the final image in his mind. Then comes the task of selecting the right exposure, angle to shoot from, and lighting, to make that image come alive. The end results, as you’ll see on his site, are breathtaking.

To create an emotional response from the viewer, there should first be an emotional response from the photographer. The scene should somehow move you. Maybe it reminds you of a time from your childhood. Maybe it reminds you of your wedding day or a milestone birthday. Capturing an image of that feeling is your goal.

Compositional strength is essential to your successful photo. Use the rule of thirds, leading lines, S curves, dynamic symmetry, and any other tool in your bag. Choose the right subject matter and present it in a new and creative way. Tell a story with that single image by including (or excluding) certain elements. Use color to your advantage; bold singular color, color contrasts, color harmonies, or remove all color and revert to B&W. Think about how this image will pull that emotion from the viewer.

Lastly, crop your images to complete them. Many of Jeff’s images are long and thin, or square, or just not the standard 8×10 or 11×14. Don’t get locked in to the standard dimensions. Use what works compositionally. When framing your photos you can always have a mat cut to any dimension needed.

Don’t ruin a photo by constricting it to a standard dimension. Let it spread out and breathe. Let it unfold and evoke that emotional response.