Chicago Camera Clubs: Visual Echoes

For our first article by our CAPS (Chicago Area Photographic School) presenters, I would like to introduce Steve Gettle.

Steve's photography has taken him throughout North America and South America from the woods of northern Canada to the Cloud forest of Ecuador, from the coast of Maine to the high plateau of the desert southwest. Although he travels extensively, he finds much of his inspiration in the natural areas surrounding his home, in Brighton, Michigan. Steve leads photo workshops and tours all over the world. As an instructor, he has taught for such organizations as: The North American Nature Photography Association, The Rocky Mountain School of Photography, The Adirondack Photography Institute and many more. He is a great nature photographer and will be teaching "Frozen Moments, High Speed Nature Photography on Sunday, November 19th.

Visual Echoes-

According to Google the second definition for the word echo is:

A close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event.

Whenever possible I like to incorporate what I call visual echoes into my work. In the included image the main subject of the photograph is the relationship and similarities between the two cheetah faces. Since the face on the left is sharper it becomes the main anchor point in the image. the second out of focus face becomes a secondary element. Our brains find the similarities within the shot visually interesting, the comparison between the two faces pulls the viewers eye around the frame and holds their attention.

Of course visual echoes don’t need to be so overt. For an example of a more subtle visual echo, consider the included image of a herd of elephants moving across the grassy plain. In this image the line of elephants, the line of light across the plain, and the horizon line each echo one another, or imagine a shot of a beach and sky where the ripples in the sand and the clouds above are similar to each other. Be on the lookout for visual echoes. Try to incorporate them in your work to add more interest and layers to your photographs.