Often in photography, there is what I’d call the “obvious shot.” The obvious shot can sometimes be a cliché image that tons of people have photographed before, but it doesn’t have to be. Instead, it’s really just the most straightforward view of a particular scene.
For example, what’s the obvious shot of a dragonfly on a flower? Probably one that shows the whole length of the dragonfly and doesn’t have any distractions in the out-of-focus regions. Depending on the quality of the light and how interesting the dragonfly looks, it absolutely could be a strong photo.
In my usual genre of landscape photography, the obvious shot is easy to explain. Is there a waterfall, mountain, or sand dune in front of you? Point your camera in that direction, zoom in or out so the subject fills sufficient space in the composition, and take the photo. If you’ve chosen an interesting subject and photographed it under good light, there’s probably going to be a lot to like about the result.
I really want to emphasize that taking the obvious shot is not a bad thing whatsoever. It’s just the direct path to a good photo – the straightforward way to photograph the scene. Many of my favorite photos, both from myself and other photographers, follow this mold and are not worse for it at all.
Yet at the same time, I think that in almost every scene, there is a “hidden shot” to be found. This is the photo that lurks below the surface. It’s not the one where the waterfall is sharp and takes up most of the frame; maybe it’s one where you’ve focused on a flower in the foreground, and the waterfall is totally out of focus behind it. Or, alternatively, where you’ve used such a long lens that the waterfall looks almost abstract.
The hidden shot is one that won’t happen by accident. It usually requires thought and creativity from the photographer to bring into existence. And furthermore, even with thought and creativity, it doesn’t mean the hidden shot will always be good! A lot of times, I’ve gone out of my way to find creative or unique ways to photograph a particular subject, only to find that the obvious shot suited it better. The key is to be on the lookout for both types of photos.
What inspired me to write about this topic was Libor’s recent article on photographing a cycling race. The portfolio of images that he displayed included many obvious shots and many hidden shots. You’d see a straightforward, well-executed photo like this:
Followed by an unexpected image, like this:
I encourage anyone who wants to see a good mix of both obvious and hidden shots to give his article one more read. Even if you have no interest in sports photography, you’ll see some themes that apply to your work, too.
In my own landscape photography, I always try to keep in mind the idea of the obvious shot and the hidden shot. For almost every scene, both types of photos exist to be found. After taking the obvious shot, I try to listen to the landscape a little bit and look for more unusual variations or creative ways to photograph it. And occasionally I’m rewarded for it.
Next time that you’re out taking pictures, I encourage you to think about the dichotomy between the obvious shot and the hidden shot. Try to take some examples of both – not expecting that one will necessarily be better than the other, just trying to experiment and see what you get.
I believe that no matter the subject, there is always more than one way to capture it. Sometimes the best photo will be the most obvious, but other times, you’ll be glad that you thought outside the box.