For professional photography, the initial photo is usually never the result most people see. Through imaginative editing, a plain photo can become something so much more. Lately, photographers have revealed how they take successful photos with the new trend of the “setup” versus the “final photo.”
Nowadays, everyone can be a photographer with their mobile devices and access to digital and film cameras. Since visual content floods every platform, photographers seek creative approaches to distinguish their work from the vast sea of content. This article will discuss how photographers explore their creativity and vision through planning and execution in their photoshoots, emphasizing both ‘the setup’ and ‘the final photo’.
The setup
To engage their audiences, photographers may use this trend to bring you into their creative space to inspire and challenge someone’s creativity. A successful photoshoot demands meticulous preparation to tackle any unforeseen hurdles and overcome creative barriers. In many cases, photographers should have a project plan that will provide concepts, locations, times, mood boards, etc. This ensures that the photographer and their assistants have a clear understanding of the goals and vision before the shoot.
Setting up for a photoshoot can take various concepts and preparation types. Most of the time, the tricky thing is to ensure that your setup will align with your edits in post-production of the shoot.
Photographers like Alex Stoddard will bring viewers into their creative thought processes by showcasing their project plans. As seen, the setup for Alex’s video has various possibilities, but what is most impressive is his choice to take a portrait with such surreal effects.
The choice to be as simple or as complex as possible for a setup is entirely up to the photographer. Alex states in his caption that his work was a “seamless post-production once you bring your photos into Photoshop layer on.” This brings us to how you can create your final photo to look drastically different from your setup.
The execution – photography
After constructing your setup, it can look very misleading or even incomplete, to any onlooker. Although there may be doubts to how a simple set up can change so drastically, the abilities of the photographer are yet to be revealed. A majority of the time, this TikTok trend surprises viewers to see how much work can go into creating an image.
Considering what work needs to be done for the photograph whether it’s angles, lighting, modeling, etc., a photographer always has to consider the editing stages. Taking a successful photograph with only a few pieces of the final image in front of you is a creative endeavor.
With all these behind-the-scenes videos, photographers hope to show all that goes into a creative photoshoot. This gives viewers and aspiring photographers inspiration from both photographers and brands who work similarly in their creative processes.
The final photo
With editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, mobile editing apps, or computer programs, a photographer can further their work. This is a key aspect to the rest of this trend, as it adds the finishing touches, bringing a new life or story to any picture. The majority of the work comes after the photo because the photographer leaves much to the imagination for editing. Therefore, the limits of this artistry of infinite as it all depends on the imagination of the photographer.
Creating a final image tailored to your vision is possible for anyone. No experience or expertise is involved in learning how to be limitless with technology. Editing apps and software continue to evolve and advance artistic expression in the arts. Moreover, as AI continues to rise, we can see how art in general has become based on what we can come up with in our minds. AI art has become more popular as it is another form of art that pushes past the boundaries of what could be. While the computer does the work, our minds feed it the creative information it needs to complete the art.
The final photo completes the trend and showcases the limitless nature of photography. Anyone can use Photoshop to push past the barriers of life. Self-expression and creating memories with loved ones can be done in a variety of ways.
Vanessa Rivera, a popular digital artist on TikTok, shares her creative vision and process for creating her final photos with her audience. Throughout her content, she uses Photoshop, allowing her to mold her vision of creativity to be anything she may want.
Simultaneously, Vanessa’s childlike fantasy inspired images with the inclusion of her children breaks creative boundaries of both reality and imagination. The possibilities she explores show how limitless photography can be from start to finish.
The ‘final photo’ in many cases is drastically different for every photographer. What you begin with can now be a mere canvas for artistic manipulation. This trend will help revolutionize photography with the power of post-editing tools in shaping our perception of reality.
The limitlessness of photography
With all of the technology available to us today, a photograph is no longer a reflection or mirrored image. Instead, it is a manifestation of imagination and editing for what could be. Moreover, it is a way to not only create memories, but it is a way to connect people and give a photograph even more meaning.
Common and popular trends on social media include adding an image of a deceased loved one into a family picture. This gives the family a semblance of their loved one still lingering amongst them, especially during important times. For example, adding a deceased family member into a wedding photo or a family photo.
While some people may look at photoshop in a negative light, photoshop can also be more symbolic. Another popular trend includes adding a halo or wings on images of a deceased family member or even pet. While it may seem like a small detail, it holds a bigger meaning within the hearts of the family.
As the famous saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words and this latest trend shows us the creativity and ingenuity that goes into a single photograph.
