Featured Image – Matthew Joseph – Panoramarama

From the Photographer – Matthew Joseph

“This shot is a particular favourite of mine, I took it in March 2005 in Brisbane. I was wandering around the Queen Street Mall and walked into the Myers Centre, I used to come here when I was younger. I wanted to take some above view photos of people and came across this scene and took it. The “From Above” theme is something that I had been slowly continuing, stopped, and have recently started again, as you will find out soon…”

Matt was one of my primary inspirations to give panoramic compositions a try. Most of the time you will see a wide angle lens on Matt’s cameras – so wide that it is not out of the realm of possibility that he can see things in other dimensions…

I have talked about panoramic composition before here. Panoramic format is very challenging first up for most photographers, with the tendency to still think in 3:2. Either get in close, or mover further away is a good place to start. There is also the natural resistance to crop subjects, and to try and squeeze too much into frame, losing the subject.

Matt’s image is a great guide to panoramic composition.

1. High Perspective

Images taken from a perspective other than head height drive interest. “nuff said…

2. Move Out

Matt has maximised the impact of the panoramic format by moving back from the subject (or in this case, up!). The combination of the high, downwards perspective and the size of the subjects has transformed them into a geometric pattern, rather than people. The tables and people become a pattern or repeating composition.

3. Natural Framing

The top left void space helps nicely frame the tabled area. The narrow table and chair space on the bottom left provides a natural entry point to the frame.

This is another one of my faves from Matt’s Flickr stream. Parallel lines are evident throughout the image. I love the way the window frames continue in the shadows. The central position of one guy is offset by the second silhouette exiting the image on the left side.

The panoramic format is emphasised by the long, narrow window panels bisecting the image.