This assignment could best be thought of as a follow-on to our
Clarity,
Captivating, and
Insightful assignments, and continues on in the same vein of identifying key characteristics that differentiate an "outstanding" image from an ordinary one.
I hope you all don't get tired or bored with this series of assignments. In my mind, these "defining qualities" of outstanding imagery cut to the chase and help describe the essence of good photography. It's not really about the technical proficiency, (or the equipment), but more about how we use these tools and techniques to communicate effectively with our audience.
An essential part of communicating with our audience is connecting at an emotional,
feeling level with our viewers. The definition of
evocative is "prompting vivid memories or images of things not present" and "provoking a strong emotional reaction." These "vivid memories" are often tactile or sensory in nature, causing the viewer to remember in vivid detail how something feels, smells, or tastes. An evocative image establishes a connection with the viewer on a physical and emotional level.
Captivating your viewer (attracting and holding their attention) and establishing an emotional connection are prerequisites to creating compelling images. We establish the emotional connection by making the image
evocative, but just how do we do that?
The key lies in tapping into the viewers tactile or sensory memories, or memories of strong emotions experienced in similar situations. You can make your images more "tactile" by emphasizing texture, or the perception of a surface as "soft" or "hard," "rough" or "smooth." Use soft directional light to emphasize the surface texture and form of the object, and diligent shooting technique to capture as much fine detail and realism as possible. Pay attention to key "senses" that would come into play if the viewer were experiencing the scene in person. Is smell one of the key components? If yes, then emphasize those elements in a scene that would produce a strong smell. Concentrate on capturing the "mood" or emotions present in the scene, and try to convey those to the viewer using appropriate tonalities and colors in your image. Tap into the emotional connection, and then you can tell your story.
I would like to make this another 2-week assignment, not only because I think the topic warrants spending more time and effort, but because I will be helping to present a photography workshop in Texas from March 5th through the 13th, and will have very little time to devote to the website.
Please upload your images to the "Evocative" album in the Weekly Assignments category of the gallery no-later-than midnight Mountain time (GMT - 07:00) on Sunday, 13 March 2011.
I will look forward to seeing your images.
Keith
