A Creative Exercise For Photographers

[@LucyLumen]

Check out my website for inspo www.lucylumen.com/ and when you're ready to build your own use my code "LUCYLUMEN" at checkout.

[@markgoostree6334]

I have always shot with the intention of fitting the view into the format. Some shots need portrait and some want landscape. I understand your point of making yourself change what has become your "standard". Good for you in pushing that envelope that has been riding your day to day photography. Thinking about what we do , and then deciding to purposely change it, is not always easy. Move, change, grow! You go girl!

[@LucyLumen]

Thankyou lovely! Have a great weekend! X

[@savorybagel]

it's always such a fun exercise to force yourself into a "creative corner" and see what you come up with - you'll start to find new things to bring into your other work!

[@jeffbraun9514]

I love these photo walk videos you're doing and this one is so well done! Your comments and suggestions are thought provoking and helpful. And, on top of it all, you're fun to watch! The editing is great and your camera man is doing an excellent job. Keep them coming, please!

[@LucyLumen]

Ohhhhhh thank you so much ☺️ this is such a lovely comment and means the world to us to hear this. Thank you and keep an eye out for more photo walks soon!

[@rick-deckard]

You're right that it's easier to compose vertically and a crutch. And horizontal is especially tough if you shoot anything under 35mm focal length. Props for pushing yourself!

[@LucyLumen]

Yes! It’s crazy how one small change like that can totally make things harder. Or really made me appreciate vertical more and realise it’s a big part of my style for a good reason. Thanks for watching

[@deladonics]

Yes more photowalks please

[@LucyLumen]

Yay! Glad you vibe the photo walks as they are my favourite thing to do and with sponsorship it’s a lot more realistic to be taking the time to do this style of video. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻📸🎞️

[@abacatisaraiva]

This is special in so many ways for me, cause recently I was also forcing myself to shoot landscape format, just because I was in a phase of hating social media and how it affects our way of behaving - like always shooting on portait because of it. You did such a good job and I'm really glad I'm not alone here! ❤

[@tengugod]

For me i mostly shoot horizontal. I'm more drawn to scenes on the street when i use a wide lens like my 35mm, but when i use a more narrow lens like 50+ i will focus on details more and mostly shoot in vertical. I do street photography, i almost never go lower than f2.8 so no chance of blowing the background to oblivian.

[@BoxOfShockolates]

Hi. So though you weren't choosing the colour red, what were some of the things you were looking for with your compositions? Did you choose the colour white? And were you focused on lines/shapes? I'm not naturally a visual artist & have a music background, so this is a new world for me & I need things explained to me like I'm 5. lol Compositional structures is still something I don't always grasp, nor always know how to put them into practise, but I see that you've used some leading lines, symmetry, negative space etc I know that literally anything could be a subject, and thats what my struggle is with photography. most times I'd get overwhelmed by what expands beyond my eyes & sometimes won't attempt the shot. Because I don't know what to hone down on, or what angles to use to make the subject appear more flattering. i've literally seen someone take a picture of a bag & banana & make it look aesthetic .😅

[@LucyLumen]

Hello 👋🏻 Thank you for your great question! I know what you when with how overwhelming it can be looking around at everything and not knowing what to shoot. I am at a point where I sort of just know what I’m looking for but that takes times. My advice would be to focus on just one thing when you go out. This could be colour or it could be something simple like buildings. Buildings offer great composition opportunities and they aren’t moving so you can take your time! In my website I have a creative strategies guide that you can download for free and that has lots of tips in it for these type of exercises!

[@lukenatewilson989]

1) I did notice your haircut and it’s cute! 2) I love your photo walk videos. Love hearing your thoughts and ideas out load as they happen and then seeing the results on screen. 3) whether I shoot landscape or horizontal depends on what’s in my hand. On iPhone, I find myself leaning heavily towards portrait orientation. On DSLR, I lean heavily towards landscape orientation. On a point & shoot, it’s an even mix. On instant photography, it’s primarily landscape. Subject matter also plays into it. I shoot a lot of candid street, landscapes, architecture, etc… which I prefer to do in landscape orientation.

[@LucyLumen]

Thank you ☺️ sounds like you have a healthy mix I love that! Thanks for watching

[@art2face]

you got me on thinking about what i shoot more, portrait or landscape orientation. i´m a gen x, so i grew up whithout all that social media stuff. started taking photos at the age of 6 with a agfamatic 100 point and shoot, had a photographical break from the age of 17 to 27. i just checked my archive since the end of 90s when i started digital and it´s almost 50/50 with a tad more landscape. i never thought that i shoot so much in portrait format. thx for inviting me on that refection of my work. i´m relatively new on your channel, i appreciate your attitude and approach on photography and art. thx for yor work!

[@johng6369]

Great video! I traded in my 4/3 system for Nikon full frame. Amazing how a little change in aspect ratio can make life so confusing, fun but confusing even after 2 weeks.

[@LucyLumen]

Haha yes so true how the small changes can have such an impact but it’s good to stay fresh and try different things! Thanks for watching

[@Bunnyisms]

I think there's a reason why I like the square format a lot. I tend to start landscape until something wants to be portrait for the most part. I think it's good sometimes to play around with the orientation in the same scene to see what you can get 💗

[@LucyLumen]

Totally agree! Thanks for watching lovely

[@WhoIsSerafin]

Have to admit with over 21 years of photography it's something I never considered. It's just what is appropriate for the scene and I make it fit on Instagram.

[@sabinemetz]

I was itchinggggg for you to embrace a little corner of something, a little view past a building or in between your subjects to break up the horizontal lines, because that's what I would do. But I realised that's not your style, your style is more flat and graphic compositions, which I appreciate in their own right. I loved seeing this exercise and how you translated your style to a format or approach that you're not used to. I definitely see you grow into it the further you get into the roll, which is so much fun!

[@vangstr]

I totally agree with you about “constraints” it really drives creativity outside of the box for artists!!!! ❤❤❤

[@thedarkslide]

Lux is killing it with the audio track.

[@LucyLumen]

@@thedarkslide he is so great hey! I’m very lucky! 🍀

[@neeravnaik]

I try to shoot all types of photos but love the vertical format. I love half frame and i have never shot horizontal with it as it seems to perfect for default vertical shots. When shooting landscape create a complex scene especially with a wide angle lens is very interesting and challenging exercise

[@DaisyEye]

What was the first web site you suggested? Its the one where you sold a picture from a car show to a galley and you talked I think in the same video about using the OM-10 also. It was a free website builder unless you upgraded.

[@LucyLumen]

I did reply on your other comment but it’s called darkroom. On my website there is a link to it where I sell my prints.

[@DaisyEye]

Love this video! Its one of my favorites of yours. It also helps when you have a creative block to give yourself a challenge or assignment like this.

[@LucyLumen]

So true!

[@SteveKleinheider]

Nice video...a great way to start a day! Whenever I get a bit bored with my current style of photography...I'll just mix it up...spend a day doing macro, black and white, etc. That usually gets me back in the groove.

[@LucyLumen]

Sounds perfect 👌🏽

[@issaholdup]

Hey where you get that orange grip at for your camera? it looks so freaking useful

[@LucyLumen]

@@issaholdup it’s from a company called cameradactyl they are 3D printed and come in many colours!

[@issaholdup]

@@LucyLumen omg okay thank you imma see if they have any for my camera pfhsks you're amazing btw just followed you on ig

[@frednelson7520]

I'm a boomer and shoot horizontal all the time. I'm going out and sh out vertical.thanks for the video

[@LucyLumen]

@@frednelson7520 thanks for watching Fred! It’s funny how different generations are influenced isn’t it! I hope you enjoy shooting vertical feel free to email me and let me know how it goes for you. Thanks for watching 🙋🏻‍♀️

[@12symmo]

Yeah actually awesome

[@teekaynh]

Love your photo walks. My favorite of the roll are the Miami Court frames, which I think is interesting because you are often "one and done" but you took several here and created a nice set.

[@LucyLumen]

Thankyou so much for your feedback I love hearing this! Xx

[@AnandaSim]

😂 I just led two walks shooting vertical because....

[@noseyparker6622]

I always shoot in landscape so I'm definitely going to force myself to shoot vertically and see how it goes. Your laugh is adorable : )

[@javicxjavicx]

Love the creative process behind the image, thank you!

[@rick-deckard]

Oof great point about constraints especially the comparison to music.

[@srt10acrx]

As a gen z I definitely have a better eye for vertical orientation in my photography. And I tend to just not like my landscape orientation images as much. I think it can be a good exercise to shoot something you're uncomfortable with but I also have to let myself lean into the things I know I'm better at which means allowing myself to frame a photo the way I know will be the best end result

[@12symmo]

I love this idea for changing things up, also looking specifically for one colour. Film camera with a nifty fifty is a good way to impose constraints too.

[@mollyanderson449]

I always love a good Lucy Lumen photo walk!! Thanks for bringing us yet another. I try to shoot in whatever orientation best suits the subject, but when I got my last roll back 98% of the frames were in vertical orientation which I didn’t notice until looking at the scans and having to flip them all. I’m too old to care about what works best on IG, I just want the best image I can make. Thanks again Lucy, your photos came out great!!!

[@LucyLumen]

Thanks so much Molly!!!! Interesting you had mostly portrait shots on the recent roll. I love reflecting on the way we shoot and why we gravitate towards certain aspects of photography. Thanks for watching and hope you have a great weekend! X

[@jamdealer]

Always good to get out of your comfort zone. Stunner outfit too!

[@LucyLumen]

Thank you haha 😆 outfit is important to me always so thank you x

[@a.m.2368]

Great video/photography! Love the photo walks.

[@LucyLumen]

@@a.m.2368 thank you so much for that feedback and for watching! Enjoy your weekend xx

[@CabralCreates]

I loved this video. It really inspired me and gave me some ideas for my filmmaking. 🤪 thanks!

[@LucyLumen]

I'm so glad! Love that!

[@PetCactusA_HarmlessLittlePrick]

My _suggestion_ for your next challenge is square format photography. It can be 6 x 6 medium format film or a full frame digital camera with a 1:1 square format option; B&W or color, what ever floats your boat. And you could take two cameras in case you are unable to resist your portrait addiction.

[@LucyLumen]

Oh I honestly don’t think that would be a fun video to watch. I would get super grumpy and probably have a melt down lol

[@PetCactusA_HarmlessLittlePrick]

@@LucyLumen With that attitude, you're sure to have a meltdown, you're pre-melted just thinking about it. But, that's what the second camera is for, sort of like nicotine gum. 😉

[@israelyr2206]

I like the color look of your video. What lut did you use? I love it, and your video in general of cours

[@LucyLumen]

Thank you it’s not as simple as a LUT it’s all done in Davinci but a fairly complicated process. The new film look creator is a big part tho 👍🏼

[@israelyr2206]

@@LucyLumen i love it, god job 😊

[@nathangillam]

Another banger video, Lucy!

[@LucyLumen]

Thank you Nathan! 🎞️📸🙋🏻‍♀️🙏🏻🥰

[@NPJensen]

Nice video - and great shots. Over the past 1½ years, I have been doing concert photography every couple of months at a local recurring event for the organizer, where I have to shoot everything in landscape orientation. It's definitely a restriction, that affects how I shoot, but it has been easier to develop a style to my concert photos because of that restriction. I missed out on a concert with the Canadian band Trans-X last weekend, that could potentially have been a highlight of my concert photography so far, but hopefully other similar opportunities will appear in the future.

[@JarrettGaza]

never lock yourself into one orientation. As you mentioned Keep your mind open and shoot as you said what the scene tells you. if you’re worried about vertical does the word CROP mean anything to you? Just some advice from someone Who has shot for 45 yearsnow somewhat retired. But go out and shoot almost every day now for fun. Like your channel.

[@LucyLumen]

Yes I have no issue cropping and do it often because I shoot with point and shoots and it’s hard to know exactly what you are getting when you take the shot so I def embrace the crop! Thanks for watching 🙋🏻‍♀️✌️

[@michaelajoseph6856]

Thank you for this video. I really like your images. You’re shooting very tight. A challange will be wide angle photography. If you didn’t do it already.

[@GavinThomas-pix]

Pause at 5:32 for your perfect red/yellow image. Try spending 40 years doing exclusively civil engineering 16-28mm 6x4 landscape images for work, maintaining sanity now requires 40mm portrait style hobby images.

[@pd1jdw630]

Interesting concept. Maybe I should shoot some film in vertical only.

[@LucyLumen]

Yes give it a go! Let me know how you get on and thanks for watching

[@chasjm21]

Were you to return to the orange tank / yellow lined area dressed again in the same colours I would of thought either self portraits or get someone to photograph you could of made some good shots.

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

I shoot horizontal and vertical. I just pic what ever feels right at the time. I do like my cameras to have vertical grins for shooting vertical.

[@nexx410]

I definitely preferred landscape when I got my first camera but social media definitely changed that. Even when I took landscape photos I would just crop them so I stopped shooting landscape. Square faze really bothered me.

[@LucyLumen]

So interesting that it impacted the way you shoot. I think it did me as well and because I shoot a lot for clients for work and they want vertical for social media so I got used to it. Thanks for watching

[@nexx410]

@@LucyLumen yeah. I have a bunch of colleagues that do video and it’s the same thing. They prefer 16:9 ratio since it’s the cinematic classic but with everyone asking for social media videos they started working out the vertical frame.

[@kathysteri]

I am the opossite, I mostly shoot landscape...instinctively 😅

[@theangrymarmot8336]

I mainly shoot 6x6 medium format (Bronica EC) so I don't have this problem lol.

[@michaelmills2926]

great video, like your style of photography, i have a challenge for you ,load your camera with slide film and have it crossed processed in C41 chemicals instead of E6 for slide film ( if you have not done this already ) ive done it a few times , very strange images but interesting.....

[@LucyLumen]

🙏🏽 If you look back I did an episode on cross processing ektachome actually ✔️

[@michaelmills2926]

@@LucyLumen thanks i will do that

[@pandaosa9]

What focal length were you shooting at?

[@LucyLumen]

I was using a 50mm 1.4 Zuiko lens. Thanks for watching

[@pandaosa9]

@@LucyLumen thank you! I love the color grading of your video.

[@stephenjones6902]

Enjoyed this Lucy

[@Bigfarmer8]

Pentax created their new 17 camera apparently especially for you? Anyway I am far too old and too often in the fields to have an issue with landscape orientation 🙂

[@LucyLumen]

I am actually shooting with that camera at the moment so keep an eye out for the video! I have a pen ft and love that it’s natively in portrait orientation. Thanks for watching

[@iraklikapanadze9013]

what camera do use for this video?

[@LucyLumen]

This is an olympus OM10 one of my favs!

[@KelsomaticPDX]

Omg I ALWAYS shoot vertical. Shooting horizontal is so uncomfortable for me. I should give myself this same challenge, but I fear I’ll come home with zero good photos 😅

[@LucyLumen]

Ohhhh so cool to hear from someone else who shoots that way too! I really struggled with this and I wasn’t overly happy with my photos tbh. Some I liked but I really felt like I was back starting out in photography again! It was an interesting challenge

[@LucyLumen]

@@bondgabebond4907 people are also allowed to have their own style and shoot however they see fit. I really wish the older generations would stop telling everyone else how we are “supposed” to do things. It’s art and expression and that means it can be done in any way. Art is meant to change and respond to environment and current society too so exploring the vertical format and making a comment on it is part of the expression. This obsession with tradition in photography is so trite and tired. If you have been shooting for this long it would be great to see you encouraging on the platform and building others up as opposed to telling them what they should and shouldn’t be doing

[@bngr_bngr]

Magazines have been shooting in portrait mode for decades.

[@markgoostree6334]

It often fits the format well. they lean toward what fits their page and work flow...I guess.

[@christianpetersen1782]

20:02 The look here is of Queen Elizabeth II when she was your age I’m guessing. You deserve a crown. Lovely video content and colours.

[@rick-deckard]

When I started casually, I used to shoot horizontal, cause it was the standard way of holding a camera. Then when I started learning SERIOUSLY I tried to do vertical more because it felt more creative. Then I forgot how to compose horizontally and had to force myself to relearn it. Then my vertical muscle got weak again 😂😂 It's been a two decades long loop.

[@LucyLumen]

Hahahha oh my god that’s so funny! I’m glad someone else has been on this orientation journey. Thanks for sharing your experiences it’s cool to hear

[@rayrayg9]

Just hold the camera as you would in portrait orientation...and then contort your upper body 90 degrees. Problem solved.

[@LucyLumen]

So simple!

[@StepsAndStoness]

I'm so early!

[@LucyLumen]

You are!!!! Haha love that! Hope you enjoy this video and the weekend ahead too. Thanks for watching

[@BrettFosterDotNet]

ok, Ive gotta comment :) . I have a challenge for you. Please call your preferred orientation "Portrait" as it has been known by photographers for DECADES, maybe even over a century! Not only is this the correct term, "vertical" has nothing to do with orientation, inherently. I know 100% you know it is called Portrait ;) . It seems like a small thing but you actually have an obligation, as someone who is seen by many as a teacher of photography, to keep the decided upon, and decades old, established terminologies alive and passed on to new photographers. Imagine someone decided to refer to aperture as "Hole Size", not ironically or from ignorance. Photography is part art and part science. To master it one needs to understand the science. To learn the science we need to have established, agreed upon, terminology. Having said all of that, the only reason i felt the need to bring this up is that you are very talented and I know your reach is only going to get bigger. You are not a noob and whether you like it or not you are becoming a voice for photography and people are learning photography, the art and the science, from you. I truly hope you dont hate me for this little rant? I love photography and love your passion for it too! :)

[@tdfrie]

Lucy calls it “portrait” at around the :54 second mark. But you’re correct none the less. Must be a millennial thing; doing all sorts of who knows what in vertical orientation. I’m going to take a nap now…in landscape orientation of course.

[@94slingshot]

I like “vertical” , that’s the way I’m holding the camera . If I’m putting a scrapbook together with the pictures I’m thinking vertical,and horizontal. I also know it s landscape and portrait.

[@polyboy3487]

Vertical, horizontal! Because landscape can be portrait and portrait can be landscape…

[@BrettFosterDotNet]

@@polyboy3487 this is exactly the problem 😎👍

[@amierulfiqri4025]

*insert The Office thank you gif*

[@TeriHamilton-o4e]

Thompson Donald Johnson Donald Jones Steven

[@LucyLumen]

?

[@timcarter2147]

I love this challenge. I'm heading out on a photowalk now. I'm going to try to incorporate some of these ideas. I primarily shoot landscape but that might just be because of my filmmaking background. I'm often composing for a widescreen movie look. love that stop sign photo. If you put that on the print shop, you'll sell at least one print of it. Also your look in this video is fabulous. Love the colors, love your hair. Awesome