Lens Artists Challenge #66 – Filling the frame
“To photograph is to frame, and to frame is to exclude.”
Susan Sontag
This week it’s Patti’s turn create our challenge and she’s given us an opportunity to zero in on our subjects to maximize their impact. As Susan Sontag says in my opening quote, “to frame is to exclude”. What can we leave out of our image to draw the viewer in? My image above, hopefully, focuses one’s eye on the brilliant colors of the flower and of course, on the little bee collecting its nectar. A keystone species critical to agriculture, bees are declining in frightening numbers – yet another example of the earth’s changing environment.
“A still photograph is simply an isolated frame taken out of the infinite cinema.”
Hollis Frampton
Sometimes it’s interesting to creatively approach an image by leaving part of the subject to the imagination of the viewer. Seeing the capture above might cause one to pause a moment to wonder why I’d chosen to include only a part of the whole. Perhaps a viewer would be drawn to what might otherwise be a rather ordinary photo of a fairly common flower. What do you think?
“Constantly ask yourself ‘what the heck would what I’m looking at look like framed’.”
Mason Resnick
I shot the two dandelion pappi above (yes, I had to look up the name for them) because of my long-ago memory of blowing on them to make a wish. Do parents everywhere teach that to their children or is it a uniquely American thing? In any case I cannot say if any specific wishes came true because I cannot remember what I wished for. But the ephemeral starry flowers still make me smile at the memory.
“Every time the shutter captures a frame, that image is recorded at a low threshold in the brain of the photographer.”
Dirk Halstead
Of course, as Patti’s post illustrates, the technique of filling the frame applies to a great deal more than flowers. In the image above, for example, I wanted to emphasize the incredible blanket of clouds over which we had just driven as we climbed the mountains of Glacier National Park. The scene was much larger, and the grand vista (which of course I also shot🙂) was extremely impressive. But this image, zeroing in on the clouds, was one of my favorites from the day.
“You fill up a frame with feelings, energy, discovery and risk, and leave room enough for someone else to get in there.”
Joes Meyerowitz
I loved the smiling laziness of the alligator in my capture above. We think of them as dangerous creatures ever on the hunt for their next meal. In fact they are fairly docile and typically eat only once a week. They can actually go as long as up to two years between feedings. Over my 20 years in the low country they’ve taken me by surprise once or twice but thankfully they’ve chosen to jump away rather than rush toward me. Despite their usual laissez-faire attitude, we are all very cautious around alligators as they have been known to attack small dogs and in rare cases yes, even humans.
“Our eyes are shooting millions of frames a day.”
Anonymous
It is rare that we have an opportunity to get as close to the beautiful birds of our island as I did to this anhinga. I suspect the only reason he didn’t fly away was because he was working to dry his wings and wasn’t quite ready to fly. In any case, I was happy to be able to capture him closely enough to fill the frame with his beautifully patterned wings.
“Exposure occupies my mind while intuition frames the image.”
Minor White
I’ll close with an image of a lovely, pollen-covered butterfly at rest on a bright pink flowering thistle. Interestingly, as a result of our recent hurricane, we’ve seen butterflies and dragonflies in much larger numbers than we’d normally expect. Today we noticed that our sweetgrass is beginning to change to its lovely purple color so it seems fall is well and truly under way.
Sincere thanks to those who responded to my Special Places challenge. Reading through the posts was like taking a tour of some of the world’s most beautiful locations. Patti’s challenge this week invites us to take a much closer look. As always, she, Ann-Christine, Amy and I look forward to seeing your perspectives. Remember to use the Lens-Artists tag and to link your response to her original post here.
I love the flowers Tina, they really capture your attention they’re so sharp and the contrast in the last one is brilliant. You’re right about the daisy, looking at it in a different way makes you see it afresh. Our parents taught us to make a wish when blowing a dandelion fairy too. Some things are universal, it seems.
Thanks Wendy – flowers really lend themselves to filling the frame I think. So funny about the dandelions isn’t it?!
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Such a fabulous collection of frame fillers. A smiling alligator no less!! Yes, I used to blow on those fluffy dandelions as a kid – tried to get to them before the wind beat me to it. The Sontag quote is intriguing and inspiring. I hadn’t thought of it that way before – especially with a macro shot – which may leave more to the imagination (like your flower shot). Thanks for all your ideas!
Thanks for the lovely comment OLU – yes the imagination is a very powerful thing, isn’t it?!
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Absolutely!
Tina – so much to savor here – the full photos – the thoughts and flow
— and you are so right – we do think of alligators hunting and on the prowl – so that was a
Top photo here – brought a smile big time
Thanks Yvette, glad these gave you a smile
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“What the heck …” Too funny. That’s what I think, Tina. I really love looking above the clouds. How on earth did you get higher than the cloud?
Thanks Perpetua. Aren’t those clouds something?! We got above them by driving through them as we made our way up the mountain in Glacier Park. Breaking through them into the sun was incredible.
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My comeback to blogging hasn’t been great by I will try not to make too ephemeral… Your ephemeral and above the clouds captures formed quite a contrast to me. What am I saying – those 2 photographs are exactly the same. Clouds/mist, certainly ephemeral.
The captures are like their owner owner: lovely. Oops there is an alligator!! 🙂
You are welcome any time you can join us Abrie—now and then is better than never for sure! Thanks for your not-too-ephemeral comment 😊
I really like that daisy.
Thanks Amy!
Up close and personal I would say… love
Thanks GF 😊
All of your photos are always breathtaking, but ‘above the clouds’ is just amazing, and I truly enjoyed a good chuckle at the lazy gator. 🙂
Thanks Judy, those clouds were incredible. I’d never seen anything like it. So glad it drew you in
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We have plenty of bees, thank you very much. 😉
LOL, clearly you are ahead of the pack on that David 😊
Wow! These are amazing, Tina!
Many thanks Sue
I love the quote about leaving space for someone else to come in, Tina! 🙂 🙂 Your photos are always beautifully detailed and I love the blurry softness around the crispness of a close up. Smiling at you this morning!
Such a lovely comment Jo. Smiling back!
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Favorites of mine!!
Thanks Gin!
Sent from my iPhone
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Such a lovely post, Tina. I especially like the cloud photo. You asked for feedback and I think the daisy shot is stunning with the contrast of dark green!
Thanks Lindy, especially for the feedback!
These are all fantastic shots, Tina. Loving the mountain with the clouds scenery best
Many thanks TCast gals you enjoyed
Always, Tina. Your photos are always great!
I love all of these – hard to pick a favorite!!
Thanks Nora. Glad you enjoyed
So nicely done Tina. Out of your great lineup I love Daisy Daisy and Lazy Gator.
Thank you Steve – it was fun deciding which images met the challenge this week.
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Amazing images. The bird spreading its wings took my breath away!
Thanks so much Celia, glad that one spoke to you
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Magically shots Tina.
Thank you MM
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I love that photo of a darter drying its wings. As for the flower macros; I always like falling into a flower, with the details that you might miss if you hadn’t examined it with a camera.
Thanks I.J., I agree whole-heartedly about “falling into flowers” altho I’ll admit I wouldn’t have described it so well!
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I always love your wildlife images, Tina! I’m sure you had the alligator on zoom? I really love the dandelions you captured!
Thanks Terri, good guess on the zoom LOL
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I liked the image of the cloud-filled valley. As you probably know, I do have a thing for clouds. 😊
😀 I have to think all nature lovers have a thing for clouds Siobhan! Thanks for your visit and comment, as always.
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Such beautiful images.
Thanks very much Dale
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Beautiful images for the challenge, Tina. And those dandelions, they blew me away.
😊 I get it ! Thanks Nurul
You’re welcome, Tina.
Framing in post is probably more important than framing during the shot for folks like me who don’t care about maximum resolution since my medium is almost always a relatively low-res Internet image.
Having noted that, if the subject is static and there’s plenty of time to frame in-camera, that’s certainly preferable and a lesson that took me some time to learn. It helped when I got my “all-around” 16-300mm lens that could just as well be permanently mounted on my camera. >grin<
Definitely true John😊. Unless one is shooting to print and frame, cropping is a great way to fill the frame. Also agree re a multi-purpose lens
Beautiful examples of filling the frame Tina, I especially love how you captured the anhinga spreading her wings 🙂💖 xxx
Thanks Xenia, got lucky sh stayed still for just that moment
These are beautifully framed captures, Tina!
Thanks Ellen, much appreciated
These are so beautiful. The anhinga is my favorite.
Thanks Beth, he was such a poser!
I love all of these Tina — especially the gorgeous macros.
Thanks Su, an interesting challenge for sure!
Beautiful macros and successfully filled the frames! And never try to fill the frame with gators unless you are with the zoom lens! 😀
LOL thanks Raj, good advice 😊
Hi, Tina. Fabulous shots! Your shot of the clouds high in the mountains lingers with me. And that gator can stay exactly at that distance. No close encounters for me, thank you!! Stay safe on the golf course. I know they like to sun themselves on nice days. Have a great weekend–on or off the course.
Thanks Patti, you’re right they hang at the edges of the ponds on the course and usually we know where they are. Let just say I no longer look for lost balls in those grasses LOL
Great idea! LOL
All beautifully framed. In England we blow on the dandelion ‘clocks’ to tell the time! As for the anhinga, I swear he has caught sight of you in the corner of his eye as he looks awfully nervous, probably thinking “I wish my wings would hurry up and dry…”
😊 let’s just say he was wary but not quite frightened enough to take off Jude. Thanks for the ‘clock’ info. That’s a new one on me!
Ah, a wonderful selection of varied frame fillers, Tina! From gentle dandelion heads to scheming alligator with a smile!
Hmmm….perhaps he IS scheming Sue! Thanks for stopping by, glad you enjoyed
I certainly did!
I’ve blown on more than one dandelion, though I don’t think it worked. Although I may not have done it right, I just read that you have to blow on them as many times as the time you do. If it’s 3:00, three puffs.
Wonderful examples of filling the frame.
Hmmm….perhaps that was my problem too Ana😊. Thanks!
Lovely set of pictures. My favorite is the one with mountains and clouds. Exceptional landscape!
Many thanks Arv, glad that one caught your eye
🙂
Great shots all!!! The bee flower and above the clouds are my favorites. Alligators, last of the dinosaur reptilia? I’ll have to look it up.
Thanks John. I’ve read they are virtually unchanged except for size since prehistoric times
ten thousand I saw at a glance – yet framed to highlight the micro -incredibly amazing beauty of nature’s design captured so professionally..Tina Ji you are blessed
Thanks AWD, glad you enjoyed these
Tina, indeed filling in the frame, is an artistic task, and you have done that beautifully. I love the quotation of Joel Meyerowitz, it puts it all in one remarkable sentence.
Thanks Cornelia-I felt the same way about that quote😊
those dandelions….definitely bring back some good memories! I wonder where that tradition came from? I’ll have to google it! Your birds are always the coolest!
Ah google-is there anything it DOESN’T know ?😊😊. Thanks pam
😂😂
Beautiful images. I love the mountain scene above the clouds . That one is breathtaking.
Thank you Anne. That vista will be with me for a long time
The bee and the butterfly on the flowers are incredible!
Thanks Laurel-they’ve been everywhere this week!
Awesome photos, Tina. From the vibrancy of the butterfly and bee photos, to the calm of the darter and cloud photos, they just took my breath away.
Thanks so much Tracy, glad these captured your imagination
Welcome, Tina.
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Beautiful images, Tina. The shot of the mountains of Glacier National Park is magnificent. You were very close the Gator, cool capture! I had no idea that they can go as long as up to two years between feedings.
Thanks Amy. They really are amazing creatures
Oh Tina what a fabulous gallery of frame filling photos. I cannot pick a favourite. So love all of these 🙂
Thanks so much Brian, glad these caught your eye
You are so welcome Tina 🙂
Gorgeous shots, Tina. I love the idea of our eyes constantly shooting frames. The alligator shot is my favourite. He really does look so relaxed, half hanging off that plank and with such a big grin on his face. 😃
Thanks Sylvia, I loved that concept too. Never thought of it quite that way
You’ve done a stellar job of including and excluding.
Many thanks Sally
Blowing on dandelions and making a wish–oh, yes, always! And my father in the background yelling that I was spreading weeds all over his lawn. Ha! What a memory, Tina.
Yep, same here Lois😊. Thanks for your appreciation of my trip down memory lane
Beautiful Tina but I think you could have got a little closer to that gator. I’ve seen it on Swamp People and they rarely lose any limbs. 😉
LOL I’ll let you test that concept first Mike!