The Power of Suggestion in Photography
Some of the most intriguing photographs don’t actually show you something. Obviously there is a subject of some kind, but that subject doesn’t seem to be the real focus of the frame. It’s what is behind that open door, what is waiting in the alley’s shadows, what is just around the corner. The real subject of the photo isn’t actually in the frame at all, it’s just outside it. That is the power of suggestion and it is a powerful photography tool.
When you suggest something in a photo, you are encouraging the visitor to fill in the blanks based on their own experiences. Suddenly there is room for interpretation and the photo takes on a different meaning for everyone who looks at. Movies do it all the time, alluding to something just out of the camera’s scope. The best horror movies are when you don’t actually see the monster. You are left to create your own monster, which is far more terrifying and interesting than anything a director could create. Consider the Mona Lisa; her smile (or lack thereof) has captivated the world for centuries. Is she smiling? If so, at what? What does she see that we cannot? That little bit of a question mark makes the painting as relevant now as when the paint first dried.
You can use suggestion in your photography in a number of ways. Instead of focusing on the action, focus on the people watching it. Their expressions tell a new and different story about what it going on. Depending on where you are, maybe shooting from behind is a possibility. Instead of shooting from the audience’s perspective, can you shoot from the band’s point of view? What does the drummer see and how is that different from the way the lead singer sees the venue?
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