Sarah Wilkerson is a photographer who focuses solely on documenting her own family. But, her photographs are anything but ordinary and would never be mistaken for the family snapshots that most Moms have filling up their phone's memory. Rather, Sarah's photographs of her four children are extraordinary. Sarah is able to turn the ordinary act of a child washing his hands or a girl holding a teddy bear into an image that compels you to stay and linger, even though you have never met the subjects in the photographs and even though she largely photographs what she observes rather than carefully planning every detail of an image.
This accomplishment is no small feat. How does she do it? Certainly Sarah's talent plays a role but so do the techniques she has perfected over the years, which she now shares through classes taught at Clickn' Moms, including one on Composition and Creativity. According to Sarah, there are four main considerations to creating each and every image:
•Slow down: Taking the time to consider what is your frame is essential to creating a memorable image. Moving yourself just a bit or taking the time to remove something out of view can make the difference between an average shot and one that can be elevated into art.
•Pay attention to the light: Most photographers understand the importance of light in making a good image but not many photographers are able to intentionally and effectively use light as a compositional tool.
•Go Beyond the Rule-of-Thirds: Every photographer knows the importance of using the Rule of Thirds to create strong compositions. However, using only the Rule-of-Thirds as a compositional tool can be limited as many other compositional devices can be used to create stronger or more interesting images.
•Use post processing to your advantage: Even small changes in an image, such as removing light switches or wires, can have a big effect. But, post processing can also be used to help viewers read an image in a way that is more likely to draw the viewer in by making less obvious changes to balance the photograph and otherwise make the image more pleasing to the eye. Many of these less obvious changes are so simple they do not require Photoshop but can have an enormous impact on an image.
All Photos by Sarah Wilkerson