Canadian Winter

Leave room.
Leave room for the viewer's story.
Leave room for the subject to move.
In this shot, I didn't include the whole body and face. The viewer can fill in the blanks and well imagine themselves or someone they know stick-handling the ball.
In this shot, I didn't fill the frame. I left room for the subject to move across the ice.
Leave room.

Misty Morning

I shot this on a cold misty morning. Snow and ice were all around except on this lake, the deepest lake in Manitoba. This lake is interesting in its origin as it was formed when a meteorite hit the earth, creating a huge crater that became what we now know as West Hawk Lake.

My shutter speed was 1/125 and my aperture was f/5.0. My ISO was 100 and focal length 190. When I converted the image to black and white, the frosted trees seemed to separate from those without, the mist became more obvious and the negative space more effective.

Points of View

I shot this picture looking down at my own feet but ended up flipping the image vertically as it seemed to present better that way.

The negative space adds to the subject of the boot tips. Called Points of View, we see immediately that there is more than one view, one way of looking at things. The faint lines in the white floorboards seem to agree with the one point of view. However, the one more forward takes the lead.

I shot with a speed of 1/40 and aperture of f/2.8. Once on my computer I brought this image into photoshop to add a texture layer but chose one that would not make the negative space disappear in clutter. Layers can add but they also can detract or distract from what the photographer is trying to say.

Home

Silently she slips below the glassy surface. She is home.

The use of negative space can be powerful in an image. It can inform and create mystery, both. Here, the expanse of water and relative void of colour add to the silence heard in the whale's descent home. We understand that her home is greater in size than we see and we're also left wondering what home is like for her.

Upward

Focused, she moves upward.

The negative space in this image helps me to show the focus and drive of this goose. It is as though nothing else matters, only her destination.

Had there been other things in this image, like high-rises or trees, it may not have had the same impact as it does now.

I am inspired by the determination I imagine this goose has. It encourages me to block out the clutter and distractions and focus on my goals, allowing the noise to blend quietly into the background while I move forward, upward.