Getting back to basics

As I take focus on my photography style, I'm noticing that I'm primarily a candid shooter. The majority of my shots I find myself sitting back, observing a scene and then grabbing something unseen. In doing this little exercise, I realize that I need to step out of this little comfort zone to create the type of images I really want to do.

I've been focusing on more studio style "created shots" in the past few months. I have a good handle on my lighting, but I find myself challenged by the poses and directing models. As I do more of it, I'm finding more comfort in it. But the biggest thing I've found that's helped is "finding a vision" of what I want before I start to shoot.

So, to find my vision and plan a little better, I've taken up sketching again. Not anything detailed, just gesture drawing. I find that it's a great way for me to gather my thoughts and pre-shoot a scene and concentrate on the shot before I take the picture.



I shared this idea with a friend last night and was told, "but I can't draw". The great thing about gesture drawing is that you don't HAVE to be good. It's just a matter of getting the pose right. I've included a couple links for people who want to learn a little more about this technique.



External Resources
http://drawsketch.about.com/library/weekly/aa052003a.htm

http://www.portrait%2Dartist.org/misc/proportion.html

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.3/3.3pages/3.3vilppudrawing.html