Whether you are looking to capture your precious moments with your family or you are into building your model portfolio, you are at the right place. We offer the best portrait photo sessions in Oman. We operate in Muscat city mainly but can be available for projects in near by cities.
Want to ask more details about the package? simply start your query on whatsapp 🙂
Below you will find various packages to select from as well as sample photos.
The packages and pricing below apply to Muscat city. We are open to custom photography assignments as well. Tell us your requirement in advance at im.zahid@hotmail.com and we can design a complete photography package tailor made for you.
Packages
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Design your own
30 minutes
60 minutes
2 hours
Perfect choice if you need longer photo shoot. Contact us for more details.
1 location
1-2 Locations
multiple locations
20 Photos
40 Photos
60 Photos
Only digital files included
Only digital files included
Only digital files included
175$ (70 Rials)
300$ (115 Rials)
400$ (150 Rials)
Send us s message
Have questions or need a hand? We’re here to help. Reach our friendly support team via WhatsApp.
Terms & Conditions
1. We deliver your photos within 3 business days. 2. All photos are beautifully edited and in hi-resolution. 3. We will deliver few photos the next day so you can share it on your social media if you want. 4. In case of multiple locations, you need arrange your conveyance and all locations will be inside muscat city. 5. You can always purchase extra photos at nominal prices if you like extra photos outside the package as well.
Oman is a beautiful gem in the crown of GCC. Somehow, it is very different from other neighboring gulf countries. I have been working here for more than 8 years and I still can’t get enough of it.
It has beautiful and serene beaches to rugged mountain peaks. A blend of culture and modernism at its best.
Over the period of this time, I have made few videos comprising of various places of Oman. I decided to compile all these videos in one post so it will be helpful for anyone who’s planing to come to Oman.
Please note, if you are planning to visit Oman and looking for vacation shoot or photography tour, find the details at the end of this article.
Now, lets go and watch the beauty of Oman.
A compilation of shots from various places of Muscat
Mainly shot at Muttrah Corniche. One complete minute of mouth watering slowmo shots.
A collection of timelapse of difference places in Muscat
This list is still in complete as I am still shooting the beauty of Oman. Do give Oman a visit and see for yourself. Peace.
I conduct Photography tours and vacation shoots mostly in Muscat and sometimes other parts of Oman on a regular basis. If you are coming to Oman for few days and want to visit places best suited for photography, checkout my Oman Photography Tour page or if you just want a quick vacation photo shoot in Oman, do check out Book a vacation photographer in Oman. Feel free to reach me on im.zahid@hotmail.com.
Oman is known to be famous for its cultural and traditional heritage. Oman has various tourist attractions, especially in the area of Islamic architecture and places known to have oldest traditional values. If you are coming to Oman and wondering where should you go, you are at the right place.
The broad categories of locations which can be visited are as follows. Each link below has a separate post related to that category. This post covers Cultural and Traditional markets.
The word Souq in Arabic literally means market. The Muttrah Souq is perhaps one of the oldest marketplaces in the Arab world. It is located at the Corniche of Muttrah. It’s one of the most popular tourist attraction in Muscat. Al Dhalam Souq (Darkness in Arabic) is the local name for the Muttrah Souq. It has been named after darkness because of the crowded stalls and lanes where the sun rays do not infiltrate during the day. The shops are mainly selling gold,household goods, shoes and ready-made garments. Further inside, there is a sale of frankincense, perfume oils, fresh jasmine, and spices.
Good for: Gift items and souvenirs. Also to see local culture and traditions. The souk can be somewhat deceptive at first acquaintance: it’s a lot larger, and a lot more confusing, than you might initially suspect. You could spend many enjoyable hours here, haggling over handicrafts and attempting to make sense of the maze. Off course it’s a heaven for photography. Also locals here are accustomed to photographers so do capture some traditional and environmental portraits.
Visitor Timings : 8am-9pm everyday
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Mutrah Corniche, Oman
2. Muttrah Fish Market
Muttrah fish and vegetable market is an ideal place where you can start your tour as it is very close to Muttrah Souq and Corniche. While it was once upon a time an open-air bazaar with dozens of stalls, it has now been replaced by a state-of-the-art indoor complex that has modern food preservation machinery and freezers. Still if you are curious enough, you can go to the dock where actual boats come and go for fishing. You can witness that activity very early morning at the time of sunrise.
Good for: Witnessing the activity of fishermen as they arrive and go during first half of the day. You can get absolutely fresh fishes from here. There are some good restaurants nearby offering fresh sea food.Last of all, it’s a heaven for photography. Again locals here are accustomed to photographers so do capture some traditional and environmental portraits of fishermen.
Nizwa city is around two and a half hour drive from the capital Muscat. Nizwa is previously know as the cultural capital of Oman. So be ready to witness some of the most sought after cultural sites of Oman in Nizwa. It is quite different from Muttrah Souq. Most of the market, however, is dedicated to pottery, antiques, textiles and other paraphernalia. Nizwa is particularly famous for crafting the silver khanjar (traditional curved dagger). Nizwa has a famous Cattle market as well but it only opens on Fridays.
Good for: It is good for purchasing gift items and souvenirs. Also to to see local culture and traditions. It has a very good market for dates,vegetables and cultural clothing. Photography is a must. Be ready to take breath taking shots.
Visitor Timings: It is open daily for two trading sessions—except on Fridays, when the souq is only open in the morning. From Thursday to Saturday, things kick off at 6am. The day trade winds up at 1pm when people break for lunch and prayer. It gets going again at 4pm, and the souq stays open until 10pm.
Nizwa market in Oman
This post is still under construction. I am adding more cultural sites as I am getting further info and pictures. All pictures in this post are by Author – Imran Zahid (the shades Photography) unless otherwise stated. Do visit other sections from top listing.
I conduct Photography tours and vacation shoots mostly in Muscat and sometimes other parts of Oman on a regular basis. If you are coming to Oman for few days and want to visit places best suited for photography, checkout my Oman Photography Tour page and if you just want a quick vacation photo shoot in Oman, do check out Book a vacation photographer in Oman. Feel free to reach me on im.zahid@hotmail.com.
Oman is known to be famous for its cultural and traditional heritage. Oman has various tourist attractions, especially in the area of Islamic architecture and places known to have oldest traditional values. If you are coming to Oman and wondering where should you go, you are at the right place.
The broad categories of locations which can be visited are as follows. Each link below has a separate post related to that category. This post covers Islamic Architecture and Buildings.
Note: I will create a separate post for all type of activities that you can do in Oman. But right now, let’s start with famous places worth visiting in Oman.
Islamic Architecture and Buildings
1. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is located in the capital city of Muscat. It is one pof the most photogenic locations for photography. The dome and the main minaret and four flanking minarets are the mosque’s chief visual features. A major feature of the design of the interior is the prayer carpet which is the largest single-piece carpet in the world. The chandelier above the praying hall is 14m tall and it used to be the world’s largest chandelier.
Good for: Witness Islamic architecture at its best. Amazing photography location for outdoor portraits. Beautiful arches and traditional lamps. Audio tour is available if you are more interested in its history. Do check out the visitor library as well.
Visitor Timings : 8AM-11AM from Saturday to Thursday (No tickets required)
Note: People have to dress modestly and ladies have to wear head scarf while visiting.
The Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) is Oman’s premier venue for musical arts and culture. It reflects unique contemporary Omani architecture, and has a capacity to accommodate maximum of 1,100 people. The opera house complex consists of a concert theatre, auditorium, formal landscaped gardens, cultural market with retail, luxury restaurants and an art centre for musical, theatrical and operatic productions.
Good for: If you are fan of luxurious architecture/auditoriums and ancient and most exotic musical instruments/dresses, this place is for you. A decent guided tour is available. Photography is absolutely allowed so you can have a good shoot inside or outside building.
Visitor Timings : Daily House Tours: 08:30 am – 5:30 pm (Ticket : 4 OMR)
Opera House by Shades Photography
Opera House by Shades Photography
Opera House by Shades Photography
Opera House by Shades Photography
Opera House by Shades Photography
Royal Opera House Muscat
Opera House by Shades Photography
3. Al Ameen Mosque
Set high on a hill in Bausher, the Al Ameen mosque (known to some as the Bahwan mosque) is very famous. Its beautifully illuminated domes have already come to feel essential to the Muscat skyline. The lovely place of worship is admired by many residents from the exterior alone. The interior spaces feature a contemporary Omani style with rich carved woods accenting crisp white marble.
Good for: Its completely white marble construction is very unique and a must watch during the later times of the day. Its ideal for photography during sunset and blue hour because of its beautifully lighted dome and minarets.
Note: No specific visitor timings and tickets. Just avoid the prayer timings during the day.
Sultan Said bin Taimur Mosque was built in the memory of the father of Sultan Qaboos in 1999. It is built in the architectural style of Ottoman mosques and looks very reminiscent of the Sultanahmet Mosque and the Hagia Sofia of Turkey. The mosque stands imposed on the backdrop of the mountains of Muscat in the buzzing heart of Al Khuwair. The mosque features a number of copper-coloured domes and two 50 meters high minarets.
Good for: Outdoor Photography in late evening. If you go during off peak hours, you might get a chance to see this mosque from inside. Its construction is very unique from other mosques in Oman.
Note: Sadly, this mosque is not open for non-muslim visitors.
This post is still under construction. I am adding more architectural sites as I am getting more and more info and pictures. All pictures in this post are by Author – Imran Zahid (the shades Photography) unless otherwise stated. Do visit other sections from top listing.
I conduct Photography tours and vacation shoots mostly in Muscat and sometimes other parts of Oman on a regular basis. If you are coming to Oman for few days and want to visit places best suited for photography, checkout my Oman Photography Tour page and if you just want a quick vacation photo shoot in Oman, do check out Book a vacation photographer in Oman. Feel free to reach me on im.zahid@hotmail.com.
Most of you, off and on takes a good picture. Whether you are a seasoned PRO or an amateur photographer, you all are proud of some of your work. But the problem is the frequency of which you are producing good quality work.
How many times you faced a situation when after a shoot you check your images,but they are not up to the standard. Do you wonder how PRO photographers produce good quality work on a consistent bases?
If you are intrigue by this questions then this article is for you. The answer to the above dilemma is the Photography workflow. Every PRO photographer has a specific workflow when it comes to taking a picture. Sticking to a specific workflow that gives you good results will increase your consistency of getting good results.
Every photographer has their own workflow
I mostly shoot outdoor/lifestyle and travel/street photography. I devised a very simple workflow that works for me in above mentioned style. You can start with it and tweak it as per your style. It has three steps. Let’s start with it.
1. Identify what caught your attention.
This is probably the foundation of taking a good picture. The definition of an interesting subject is completely subjective. Something might be interesting to you but completely mundane for others.
Before even you lift your camera to your eye, ask yourself what exactly caught your attention. This question is of primary importance as based on that you will continue with the next two steps i.e. lighting and composition.
It could be anything. It could be an interesting outfit someone is wearing on street. It could a beautiful formation of clouds or even some nice pattern or repetition of something. Identifying it initially lets you enhance its impact using other two steps i.e. lighting and composition.
In above two pictures, two things actually caught my attention. The crack on the road and bright red wheel caps of a car. Identifying my subject at very early stage lets me compose my image in a way that enhances and highlighted my subject matter much clearly.
2. Study the Light
It is believed that a photograph is as good as the quality of light. So, studying the lighting condition is very important. Once you identify the subject matter, it’s time to look out for ways to enhance that subject.
Let’s say that you want to take a portrait of a person. Now, most flattering light for a portrait is soft light. You need to think how you can photograph that person in a soft light. If it is possible to move that person to a shade, then do it. If it is not possible than try to change your angle to see if it can be improved.
Simply put, analyze the current light in which your subject is. And look for ways if something can be done to improve it. Sometimes the subject is so interesting that even in bad light it is worth taking a picture but in most cases if you do a little bit of effort, you will greatly improve the quality of your picture.
I took this picture in a GYM/training center. The light is quite dim and only certain areas are properly lit. Since I analysed the lighting conditions earlier, I was waiting for these fighters to come in that specific spot so that they will lit properly.I took this portrait of a shop keeper in northern Pakistan. I asked him whether he can come towards the shop window so that I can have enough light for a picture. He agreed and I took this picture. Otherwise this portrait will not have that much details and impact .
3. Take your time to Compose
After selecting a proper subject and working on light, it’s time to actually compose your picture. Now this is the step where you can be very creative. This step will let you stand out from other people. Lot of photographers when they photograph certain touristic place or situation, they follow the cliche. Spending a little bit of time on your composition will greatly improve your shot.
You can start off with some basic and cliche shots. That will give you initial confidence. Then make your way to more challenging and creative compositions. Now there are lot of aesthetic composition rules that can be applied to enhance your subject. Few of them are as follows.
1. Try to include something related to your subject either in foreground or background. That will emphasize the overall theme. Environmental portrait photographers do this all the time. 2. Use leading lines to direct viewers towards your subject. 3. If surrounding doesn’t support the subject, either use simpler backgrounds or try to blur it as much as possible. 4. Use dodging and burning in post to enhance your subject. Not exactly a composition rule but it does make a difference.
In this picture the beautiful sunrise caught my attention. So in order to direct viewer towards a sunset, I put a foreground subject i.e. my friend and let her look towards sun. That way viewer is drawn towards the sun even though the sun is out of focus but still it gets more attention.Here I draw the attention towards my model by using leading lines. All diagonal lines and arches are converging on my subject.
Conclusion
If there is one important thing that I learned over time, it is this. Never hurry when taking a picture. This one practice will immensely improve your picture. Just by delaying shutter click will start improving your pictures.
Make this workflow your day to day practice. It’s not necessary to follow it as it is. You can change it according to your style. But make it quick and simple. That way it will be more practical and can be followed easily.
Oman, a nation on the Arabian Peninsula, has terrain encompassing desert, riverbed oases and long coastlines on the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman.
For photography tours and workshops in Oman contact me at im.zahid@hotmail.com
Experiences are everything. Only a great photograph can accurately capture the emotions, experiences and feelings connected with your travels. Oman is full of Traditional and cultural activities, Old traditional markets, beautiful and serene beaches and Old Islamic Architecture and above all, beautiful and friendly people We’ve our own photographer to capture your precious travel moments in Oman.
Imran Zahid VIsual can capture your destination vacation in Muscat, Oman and deliver the perfect travel souvenir — priceless memories.
Want to ask more details about the package? simply start your query on whatsapp
(+968 95842090)
Below you will find various packages to select from as well as sample photos.
The packages and pricing below apply to Muscat city. We are open to custom photography assignments as well. Tell us your requirement in advance at im.zahid@hotmail.com and we can design a complete photography package tailor made for you.
Packages
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Design your own
30 minutes
60 minutes
2 hours
Perfect choice if you need longer photo shoot. Contact us for more details.
1 location
1-2 Locations
multiple locations
20 Photos
40 Photos
60 Photos
Only digital files included
Only digital files included
Only digital files included
175$ (70 Rials)
300$ (115 Rials)
400$ (150 Rials)
Terms & Conditions
1. We deliver your photos within 3 business days. 2. All photos are beautifully edited and in hi-resolution. 3. We will deliver few photos the next day so you can share it on your social media if you want. 4. In case of multiple locations, you need arrange your conveyance and all locations will be inside muscat city. 5. You can always purchase extra photos at nominal prices if you like extra photos outside the package as well.
Everyone loves vacation. Usually when we travel, no matter how far and wide, new or beaten path, we all love to document our experiences.
Sometimes it’s our our simple vacation to some nearest locations for a change. Or sometimes we do travel to get some inspiration for our photography.
Travel photography is by far the most loved genre of photography. Here are few tips that will surely help you maximize your productivity while doing travel photography.
1. Pick the right gear.
Selecting proper gear is of prime importance in my opinion. It somewhat depends upon the purpose of vacation. Very few people actually travel only for photography. Majority of people just want to clear their minds. They want to enjoy and have a good time. And in the process they want some good photographs.
The key is to travel as light as possible. For me its just one camera body with one walk around lens. I try not to pack a complete camera bag with 2,3 lenses, laptop and accessories etc.
I always take my canon 6D with sigma 24-70 f2.8 lens. Yes I do miss 20mm focal length for landscapes and 135mm for street portraits. But keeping just one camera-lens setup forces me to look for creative alternatives.
It’s very easy to dive too deep into photography while You are on your vacations. Remember, vacations are meant to enjoyable and if you are too serious about your photographs, you will end up feeling exhausted by the end.
Document your entire journey along the way. Take photographs of your car, hotel room, restaurants where you dine and any tour guide or local food. Capture all the crazy and silly moments. Its these photos that you will cherish after 10 years.
While documenting all these things, you might get a lot of good professional photographs as well. I always try to take proper portraits of people I am interacting while I am on journey. I met one old guy (shop keeper) once on my vacation. I took his portrait and that picture ended up as full page feature on Digital Photo Magazine.
My Travel Photo as a full page feature in DP Mag
3. Hire a Local Photographer as guide.
Not all of us can afford a tour guide, yet alone a photographer guide. But if you are serious about photography or you are on some project, hiring a local photographer will go along way.
Local photographers knows all about the place. they know which time and location is best for which type of photograph. They know where permissions are required and where you can simply sneak and take your shots quickly.
You can search local photographers on instagram. Contact them using DM and describe what you want exactly. Once agreed on a price, you are good to go. I used that concept and now I started my own business based on this.
Unless you are on a specific project, don’t be too eager. Divide your day time into chunks of time for photography and leisure. Golden and blue hours are definitely important and should be taken seriously for good landscape and outdoor portrait shots.
But after sun is high enough or after dark, still you can do a lot. Harsh light might be bad for landscapes but it is very good for street photography. You can make use of strong light and shadows during this time while walking inside markets and pathways. Night time is good for documenting night life of a city. Even same place looks enitrely different during daylight and night time.
So use your time wisely. Also use bad light for your leisure as much as possible. I usually take a sandwich or some snacks during actual shoot and go to restaurants, movies,shopping and meeting friends during bad light. That way I utilize my time more efficiently and balance my photography/leisure time.
Light and shadows
5. Do your Homework.
It doesn’t matter whether you hire a local guide, photographer or you have a friend. Always do your homework before going to vacation. Always search for worthy locations and local activities. It will help you in making a blue print of what kind of photographs you might end Up when your vacation finishes.
When you are hiring a guide or photographer, always contact them and discuss these in advance. Check with your fellow photographers or friends who have been there. Once your homework is done. It will be much easier for you to check if everything is going in a right direction or not.
6. Mingle with locals.
If you really want to make the most out of your vacation, try to communicate with locals. I know, when you are travelling to distant places, there is a language gap. But you will always find someone that can do it for you or someone that knows a little bit of English.
Communication with locals open new areas for you. You might get unexpected opportunities of photography. Your knowledge will widen as you start communicating with them. You will start to know their customs and traditions etc.
I always communicate with locals and try to capture the real essence of that area. For street and portrait photography, it is the best strategy.
7. Don’t Compromise on your Safety.
Not all countries and cities are completely safe. Even some of the safest countries have few cities that are not safe. So, if someone informs you about something, do take it seriously. If you end up losing your expensive gear or get injured, it will ruin your vacation.
Don’t try to look too overly classy. Hide your brand name on your gear. Keep your eyes open if you think something fishy is going around. Always check with locals about security situation if you are in a city that has a bad reputation.
Some places require permission from certain authorities before taking pictures. Check for these things from local guides or hotel staff first.
Conclusion.
The key to good travel photography is a combination of being at the right place at right time. Whether you are a PRO or an amateur photographer. Whether you have an expensive camera setup or a simple point and shoot. These travel photography tips will still be applicable to you.
And last but not the least. Travel photography is supposed to be fun. So keep it that way. Don’t stress out if you are not getting good shots. Just keep your cool and make use of your time based on my tips while enjoying your vacation.
Photography is an art form. And ART is subjective in nature. It is difficult to define what is cliche and what is not. But, there are certain types of photographs that are too common over the internet and normally they are considered as a cliche.
Cliches are called cliches for a reason. They all started as a normal thing. Normally they are very good ideas and that’s why they became so popular in the first place. But at some point their overuse by people make them a cliche.
With the ever growing market of cheap consumer level DSLRs and PRO phone cameras, Everybody is now a photographer. If you are somewhat serious about the art of photography, you need to stop doing following photography cliches and start bringing your own creative touch in your photography.
1.
Always using Black and White for Street Photography.
We
all at some point or another, tried our hands at street photography. It looks
artistic and classy. But why everyone is converting their street photographs to
black and white?
Most
of the famous street photographers had their work in black and white because
they belong to black and white film era. At that time, either color cameras
were not present or too expensive. So, their work is mostly in black and white.
Most of the iconic street photographs are black and white.
Now
that we have powerful DSLRs, there is no need to go for that look. Only go for
black and white if it makes sense. Lets suppose, you want to get rid of uncontrolled
distraction (different colors of cars and sign boards that don’t go with your
color theme) or you want to emphasis on light and shadows.
The
first image here is of a Porter on Karachi Railway station. Black and white
won’t work here as people will not able to distinguish his specific Green,yellow
and red uniform.
Porter on Karachi Railway Station
This
second image is of a butcher in Muscat city. This whole image is pretty much
teal in color and converting it to black and white will render an image with
very less contrast.
Black and white is a creative choice. Don’t blindly use it because most famous street photographs are in black and white . Understand its PROs and CONs and do it creatively.
Butcher in Muscat
2.
Punchy High Dynamic Range (HDR) images.
High
dynamic range photography is a process where you capture multiple images. One
for each shadows, highlights and mid tones. You blend them together to make an
image with details in both dark and bright areas. It all started when camera
sensors were not that strong as they are now a days.
Today’s
consumer level DSLRs and even high end point and shoot cameras have very
powerful RAW image processors. All you have to do is to adjust highlights and
shadows along with blacks and whites and you are good to go.
Processing
single RAW file will give you much better and natural results than blending
multiple images. Yes, HDR blending has its own place. It comes handy when there
is too much contrast in a single image. But overall HDR images look unnatural
and over processed.
Both of the images here are HDR images of a Mosque from a single RAW file. I only used shadows and highlights adjustments to bring details in specific sections. You can see the details in both bright and dark areas.
Grand Mosque Muscat Grand Mosque Muscat
3. Sticking to rule of thirds at all time.
Almost
everybody know the rule of thirds. It’s the first rule that you learn when you
start learning composition in photography. Rule of thirds is very scientific in
nature and 9 out of 10 times it gives you good results. And that makes it a
Cliché.
There
is a famous saying that ‘Rules are meant to be
broken’. It’s true. Just by deviating away from some industry standard will
automatically make you stand out among the crowd.
But it has to be done with care. You can avoid the rule
of thirds in symmetrical compositions very easily. You can avoid it in minimalistic shots as well.
With
practice you will come to know when you will get better
results by not following this rule. Whenever you shoot some picture, always
experiment with different versions. Rule of thirds is a
good starting point for your composition. But since everyone uses it all the time, it’s a bit boring.
Alternatively,
you can place your subject in extreme sides or corners and still make an
attractive composition by placing some elements on opposite side to balance it.
Both
the sample images here doesn’t strictly follow rule of thirds but still they
have an interesting balance and composition.
Royal Opera House Muscat Jebel Akhdar Mountain
4.
Following histogram religiously.
Histogram is very powerful tool that lets you decide
whether you have a properly exposed picture or not. Understanding histogram is
of prime importance. Just by looking at it, you can tell whether you have pure
whites or pure blacks in your image, i.e. whether
you lose details in highlights and shadows or not.
The
problem is, histogram only tells you the range of the
brightest and the darkest pixels in your image. It doesn’t know what you
want to shoot actually. If you want to shoot low key or high key image, the histogram will show that you are clipping shadows
or highlights. In this particular case, I want to shoot a low key silhouette
image in Muttrah Souq, Oman. It is ok since I deliberately want to clip both
shadows and highlights. It’s your creative decision.
High contrast image with histogram
Histogram is also good when you have an inconsistent LCD screen on your camera. Camera LCDs
are normally much brighter than actual image is. Sometimes the image looks
properly exposed on screen, but actually it’s a
bit underexposed. You have to pull shadows in post later on to balance it and
it will introduce some noise.
Checking histogram will tell you this at the time of the shoot. You can adjust your settings in camera, and you don’t have to push it in the post. You must know how to read a histogram. But you should also know when to follow it and when to follow your own creative guts.
5.
Using Image Borders
Gone
are the days when the only outcome of photography is the
wall mounted frame. This age is the age of social media. Yes, wall
hanging frames still have their own place. You can’t deny that. But making your
image compatible over the internet is important.
People
normally add borders because of two reasons. Either their frame corners are not
tight enough and they need some sort of borders to keep it under boundary or
their subject is not prominent enough.
Try framing your image in a way that it naturally
creates a border around your subject. You don’t have
to use frames within frame technique all the
time. Just try to look around the edges of your frame and place something
strategically to guide viewers’ eye.
Here
I shot these three guys walking in Nizwa market in Oman in a way that it
creates a natural frame around them. Although it only covers left and right
side of image.
Nizwa market in Oman
Another
technique is to use a vignette in your images
either by using dodge and burn technique or simple darken your edges and
brighten the subject. In this image, the sky is completely plain, so I added a little vignette to create a border.
Architecture build
6.
Using cliché Lens choices.
It
is common to shoot Landscapes with wide angle
lens, Street photography with 50mm and portraits with an
85mm or 100mm lens. Thousands of images are uploaded over the internet on a daily basis that follows the same
exact rule.
Every
other shot that follows these clichés looks almost identical. Like the rule of thirds, these lenses will give you great
results. The wide angle lens lets you include
foreground and background both in focus. Telephoto creates simple background
with flattering facial features. But try something different to create a new
perspective.
Like
I shot this landscape and architecture image with a 50mm lens. It’s a totally
different perspective of this place as compared to all other pictures of the same place. You can try portraits with a wide angle
and street photography using telephoto lens as well.
The Road Grand Mosque
Conclusion
It
doesn’t mean that you should not use these techniques at all. Using a bit of all
of these techniques in moderation is all you need to avoid clichés.
It’s
really hard to find the subject that has never been photographed before. Try to
look subjects in a different way. Try different angles. Try different lenses
and filters. Try different post processing techniques that are not common.
One
interesting way is to start a project of photographing the same subject in 15
different ways. It will force you to look at the subject in an entirely
different way. That practice will help you in your photography in general.
Again
photography clichés are not bad. It’s just that they are way too common and
they won’t help in bringing your very own personality in your photography. Now,
try to be creative and tell me in the comments section which cliché you find
most annoying.
I am Imran Zahid – A commercial photographer pursuing photography/traveling as a side kick apart from being a full time Software Consultant (it helps me in focusing on my passion rather than worrying about generating income ).
I have been working in Oman for quite sometime with various clients (both individuals as well as companies) as a freelance commercial photographer on project and monthly basis.
My main areas are usually event, wedding and product photography for companies and small businesses. I do cover dedicated portrait sessions and vacation trips occasionally too.
Below you will find few samples of my shoots in different categories. You can always find my latest work over my instagram handle
Personal Portraits / Vacation
Commercial Photo-shoots
Event Photo-shoots
Product Photography
Feel free to reach me over email or phone. We can fix a quick meeting to see How and when we can collaborate in a more meaningful way.
imran.zahid 
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