OpenTube

Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary Photos - build the skills

Andrew Banner

15,051 views

You don’t need to travel to exotic locations to take compelling photos. The everyday objects and mundane details right outside your front door often hold the potential for incredible images—if you know what to look for.

In this video, we explore the art of photographing "nothing" by training your eye to spot hidden opportunities in everyday environments. We cover:
• The 4 core visual anchors: contrast, strong lines, shapes, and texture.
• Why contrast (both light/shadow and colour) is the secret to making ordinary subjects pop.
• Pre-visualizing your shots using mirrorless creative filters and high-contrast monochrome profiles.
• The benefits of shooting RAW + JPEG simultaneously.
• Using shallow depth of field to isolate your subject and guide the viewer's eye.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Finding Photographs of "Nothing"
0:45 - High Contrast Black & White & Strong Lines
3:30 - Capturing Eye-Catching Details & Texture
5:50 - Why Staying Local Boosts Your Creativity
9:05 - How to Train Your Eye to Spot Contrast
12:00 - Pre-visualization & Camera Filter Modes
13:45 - Key Takeaways & Everyday Practice

~~---------- DXO DISCOUNT ----------~~
Use code AndyB for 15% off for new DXO Customers: https://geni.us/mydxo

Current Gear used for recording this video:
Boya CastMic P60 (sounds great) : https://geni.us/jByHsi
DJI Pocket 3 - https://geni.us/vlog-op3
Neewer X11 Teleprompter - https://geni.us/x11-uk
Zhiyun CX100 light -
Zhiyun FC100 light - https://geni.us/cinepercf100
Small Rig Tribex SE Tripod - https://geni.us/pjtribex-se
Freewell Tripod - https://geni.us/Freewell5-1

Legacy Gear Used:
Zoom H4n Audio recorder - connected to the Boya Mic using XLR
Olympus EM1 mk2
Olympus EM10 Mk 3

20 Comments

@johnlowe7097 6 days ago

Love how you pull an image out of nothing it’s a real skill, will follow the excellent advice 👏👏👏😊

@tombyrne1299 6 days ago

Love your channel. One of a few photography channels about actual photography. Thank you for your videos.

@tonyplant2337 4 days ago (edited)

Thank you for producing an informative and entertaining film. I really appreciate the work that goes into these films and the just the sheer mental tussle to get off the sofa, go out the door and do it.

@Elements795 1 day ago

Nice one Andrew👍 I concur, high contrast monochrome is so enjoyable and works very well for everyday objects.

@MrCrainDotCom 2 days ago

I've noticed a growing trend in taking photos of the 'mundane', this makes me quite happy, as I've been doing it for years, and recently began uploading new images on my website. I like them, and really, that's all that matters.

@jeremyparr4238 2 days ago (edited)

Jeremy Parr Western Australia another outstanding photography Andrew great images top stuff

@davidmill7289 4 days ago

Great images Andy. You’re a natural teacher and your photos are a great motivator.

@laurielphotography1118 5 days ago

As always, nice captures, Andy. Enjoyed the video!

@the_rat_run 6 days ago

B&W high contrast can be very dramatic, and your examples are just that, Andy. Enjoyable video, thanks.

@andrewskillful 3 days ago (edited)

Concerning the first photo, this is one of the best techniques for creating intrigue on a few different levels, not only the strong light and leading lines, but also the creative pairing of background and foreground. This photo is what I call surreal, depicting reality in subjects, but in composition seemingly of a different world. Love it. That said, it is certainly not an accurate way to document a scene, which for me is rarely what I am trying to achieve. It emphasizes creative composition over striking scenery or subjects, which are usually best taken point blank so as not to obscure their beauty or intrigue. And yet, that is the way we always see things, which is why this technique is ultimately more intriguing even though the subject may be relatively mundane.

@stingosaka 5 days ago

Thank you for these videos. This topic makes your channel so unique.

@Arripa-777 6 days ago

Nice ! I enjoyed the video. Thank you !

@I-s-a-b-e-l-l-e--S 6 days ago

Hi Andrew very beautiful images and excellent ideas once more :))

@duringthemeanwhilst 6 days ago

you really should write a book Andy 🙂

@robcallighan3455 5 days ago

Thank you !

@realdoctorobvious 6 days ago

Coincidentally, this is much of what I have been doing, lately. In my case, it's mostly based on my need to photograph things and the lack of inspiration around me. But I've loved some of the results. It started out as something stupid because I had run out of ideas, and it turned into art. ...At least for me.