Four Ways to Make an Image Sing
Everyone can make artistic photographs, the same way everyone can capture a beautiful sunset on their phone.
With a little guidance and intention, any photographer can create images that truly stand out.
These are four techniques from top level photographers to consider, each simple at the surface but deeply rewarding with practice.
1. Bright Shadows
This style is used brilliantly by @morten.clicks. Here in Norway he’s become one of the defining voices of the look, and on top of that, he’s genuinely one of the kindest humans I’ve been lucky to exchange words with.
The idea is simple:
A bold, saturated wall.
A silhouette passing through.
A hit of light that turns the figure into pure shape.
Faces disappear into shadow, which makes these images perfect for printing candid street scenes. The silhouette carries the mood while the color background delivers the punch.
*images from @morten.clicks Instagram account
How I would shoot it:
• Aperture: f/8–f/16 for maximum depth.
• Shutter: double the focal length for sharpness; increase if the subject is moving fast.
• Focal length: 35-80mm, though I love a 40/50mm for this.
• Find a wall lit by strong light. Look for a patch of shadow in front of it. Great for days with harsh light.
• Wait for someone to pass through the shadow, and shoot.
• Birds also work beautifully here.
2. Scale Play
This is story driven photography built on distance and proportion.
A wide lens helps exaggerate how small a person becomes against a towering building or cityscape.
When done well, these images are incredibly readable and fantastic for printing.
Photobreak’s own Thomas Sandfield has mastered this style to the core.
*images from @thomassandfield Instagram account
How I would shoot it:
• Lens: 16–24mm.
• Aperture: f/5.6–f/8.
• Shutter: again, double the focal length as a baseline.
• The key is balance, also, great color decisions will prevent the scene from feeling overwhelming.
Scale Play works because it communicates instantly: small human, big world.
3. The Hand Connection
Harder to pull off, but extremely rewarding.
A clean, structured background with a strong color.
A subject showing just 10–15% in the frame.
A gesture, a pop of contrast, a moment of harmony.
On digital, the “spray and pray” approach + cropping later can help you land the composition.
When the color pairing works, especially complementary colors, the result is bold and perfect for décor prints.
This also give a strong story to the frames.
*images from @the13thsecond Instagram account
*images from @the13thsecond Instagram account
4. Through Layers
A technique mastered by one of Norway’s finest photographers, @tonje_streets_and_more, who composes beautifully through trains, windows, and reflections.
This method traces back to Saul Leiter, who used long lenses to compress space and layer colors like paint.
Tonje likely shoots a bit wider, but the principle remains:
Find a surface, shoot through it, let the world become a layered composition.
*images from @tonje_streets_and_more Instagram account
*images from @tonje_streets_and_more Instagram account
How I would shoot it:
• Aperture: higher f-stops can help, but it depends on the mood you want.
• Sharpness: aim for the usual double focal length, though a touch of blur often strengthens this style.
• Window light, raindrops, reflections, and trains are all fair game.
Tonje, as her handle suggests, does all kind of styles, definitely see here Instagram for more.
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Looking at the work of old masters, and what they chose to print for their exhibitions, is always a valuable exercise.
I’m deep in that process myself as I search for images for an upcoming Photobreak exhibition, and the printing side might be the biggest hurdle so far.
But we’ll get there.
And with a new year coming, it feels like the perfect time for a fresh start.
Lets get ready.
