Seven More Ways to Get Extra Viewing Time for Your Photos
I have been quite focused on what gets viewer attention in photos. First of all, there are some biological imperatives at work that are described by the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception. If the human brain can’t find a subject in your image pretty quickly, it moves on. Beyond that, the brain is driven to find ways to simplify complex images, which many street images are, by grouping visual data in the following ways
1. Things that are similar.
2. Things that are close to each other.
3. Things that are enclosed in region together
4. Things that are symmetric.
5. Things moving in the same direction.
6. Things that are parallel.
7. Things that fall on the same straight line or curve.
If a complex visual image cannot be simplified in one or more of these ways, it is likely the brain will want to move in. Photos can be composed to have these properties. This does not make a photo a good photo but it sure helps keeping it from being dismissed in the first 2 to 5 seconds of viewing. What does drive viewing time past the 2-5 seconds for me is content.
Animals
I am a sucker for animals in street photography. If you have camels, cows, donkeys, sheep, chickens or dogs in your photo, I will not only give you extra viewing time, but I will be more apt to genuinely be drawn in by your photo. If I perceive the animal has eye contact with me, you have me hook, line and sinker
Dynamic Gesture
I think there are two things at work here. First of all a dynamic gesture usually means that the subject or an appendage of the subject is on angle. That angle forms an implied diagonal or curve which the eye will follow. Eye movement absolutely translates to extra viewing time. In addition, a gesture is body language. I am pretty compelled to attempt to translate the meaning of body language. That takes some time. A particular gesture of interest to me is the turn of the head. I think we turn our heads if something interesting has gotten our attention. I will spend time trying to figure out what that is.
Photo by Cesare Bracciali. Used with permission. You can see his photos on Facebook at Cesare Bracciali.
The Unexpected
This is content that is guaranteed to draw me. If it is a small, unexpected detail, it can become the punctum of the image for me. It is the reason I love the image, not just like it. If it is a large portion of the image, I have to spend time figuring out why it was unexpected and what that means.
Photo by Lillis Atkins Werder. Used with permission. You can see her photos on her Facebook gallery, Lillis Photography and on her website at Lillis Photography.
Interesting Shadows or Reflections
Shadows and reflections always add interesting detail, but when they add new information about the surroundings or the relationships between people, I definitely alert up. In addition, sometimes what seems like the subject’s shadow, because of proximity, is actually someone else’s shadow or even someone in silhouette. That odd connection moves to the realm of unexpected which is a known attention getter.
Photo by Vanessa Cass. Used with permission. You can see Vanessa’s Instagram gallery at @vcass_photography and her Facebook gallery at Vanessa Cass.
Effect of Wind
Obviously, we cannot see wind in a photo, but when a photographer captures its effect, that information adds always a new, interesting dimension.
Levitation
I think it is usually serendipity when we catch our subjects in the air. It always draws my attention, followed by a smile.
Surreal
Surreal images are images that show a reality different from our own reality. This occurs most often as the result of using juxtaposition. Surreal images can be created by overlap, the visual phenomena of floating bodies, decapitation and strange things put together.
Photo by Neville Fan. Used with permission. You can see his photos on Facebook at Neville Fan and his gallery on Instagram at @nevillefans.
Taking street photography these days can be an overwhelming experience for me. If I get out weekly, I can settle in, but if it is longer than a week, the best I can do is randomly take pictures. I have decided to try a cheat sheet. I am going to download this photo onto my phone of things to look for. If you are struggling like I am, you are welcome to try my cheat sheet.