One concept I love from the domain of graphic design is the z-axis, and having independent layers stacked on top of each other. We all think in up-down (y-axis), left-right (x-axis) easily, but can forget to use the forward-backward (z-axis) in a 2d image. That idea really hit home for me when I saw an exhibit on Disney animation techniques from the early 20th century. Their backgrounds were made up of 5-7 layers of glass, some with shrubs, some with trees, some with hills, some with sky, etc. That gave more depth and movie to some of their early iconic animations.

I'm so glad that I found your channel Alex. It's very refreshing to watch your videos about what photography is actually all about, rather than the gear based content of many channels..

Gotta agree with you 100% and wish I had come to this realization years earlier. I've been in photography since 1961 and have concentrated on bird photography for the last 6 years. I was starting to get stale on this subject because of the sameness of the images. Then I tried a 9x16 crop of a bird image and it was like a big light came on in my head. I just sat there and looked at the image for several minutes in amazement and thinking, "Why haven't I done this before?" So, I made up an image of a common but beautiful little house finch sitting alone near one end of a little limb that extended almost completely through the picture. Everything except the bird and perch (which was amazingly sharp and deliberately left just a tiny bit dark) was black. There was no border. Negative space in a 9x16 format and beautifully processed. I sold two of them for $250 each. Yeah, I'm a believer in alternative aspect ratios!!

You know what I like about your channel, it’s your way of how to tell a story.

useful for photography / cinematography (t - stops) framing device is a greatly useful concept, good and thought provoking 10mins.

Fantastic chat thank you, really love the example photos from the 1930s to 80s! The nice thing about learning to frame is that the habit stays with you even when you don't have a camera in hand, so you can practice the skill all the time. And it lines up nicely with the concept of storytelling - 'What questions or suggestions do I have about a subject, and how does the context help the viewer ask similar questions or form similar ideas? And what could I learn if I try to imagine a dialogue with the viewer about their difference in perception?'

Wonderful topic: framing

make your KZfaq videos even more widely known because these are full of insight, creativity and novelty…

Amazing picture examples in the video!

Great video…you have such a sincere, passionate, and authentic way about you that always inspires me to work on my craft. Thank you.

Thanks Alex for another great reminder of how to perfect our photography skills! Keep up your great work! Merry Christmas my friend, Roger

Great topic Alex Kilbee and love all the examples you showed as well! I remember when I discovered the photographic work of French Designer/Photographer Thiery Mugler he used a lot of space and made the models look tiny, however it worked. Thank you for all the great content you make for us all in this channel!

More great ideas. I use this occasionally, but you’ve broadened the definition for future work.

Great advice to bear in mind when taking a photograph! I often think what it is that my photographs lack an this well could be the answer. Thank you Alex for pointing this out! Take care and keep up this awesome channel.

Wondeful tip, I often think frames are in the way instead of incorporating them into the story telling. Thanks!

Great video Alex; this nube needs all the tips the law will allow. One of my favorite shots from some years back is William Eggleston's masterpiece picture of the cocktail on the tray table in the sun through the airplane window. In that picture, he uses the frame of the window twice, once directly to the outside and once on the tray table allowing the sunlight to hit the glass. T'would be great to have an eye like that.

Some great suggestions and examples, thanks

Not long ago I took a photo that had four points of view in the one shot. Because of reflections you saw four different ways to look at and decide what the subject was intended to be. It was fun to look at because it required the viewer to make a decision and it was funny to watch their faces as they worked it out.

I love 💕 this video!

You are so inspiring! Your explanation make my soul and heart soar and I am really able to enjoy and appreciate the example photos as well. Thank you!

Holy moly that Saul Leiter shot, "Canopy," at 5:12 - The tree framed in the gap in the fabric sends it to the stratosphere. What an unexpected photo!

You should have one million followers at least. The content of your videos is flabbergastingly creative 👍👌🤙🙏

Another great lesson in composition, thank you

I was just talking about frame within a frame this past week while on a tour at our local art museum.

Awesome info

Thanks Alex, such great insight into what can make a great photograph.

Always giving us inspiring content!

Another excellent tutorial! Thank you.

Beer in the hand, greetings from France !

Great advice Alex.

I was majored in Architecture, but then ended up in photography ( … or Architectural Photography).

Thank you. All the best. 👍📷😎

Excellent presentation … ta very much!

Arnold Newman uses framing extensively in his environmental portraits. Very nice.

I have a shot of a bison in a mirror, didn't realize I was framing (yes, poor humor). There you go again, making me think!

❤❤❤❤❤

I just realized that I missed your lasts videos because you changed the style of your thumbnails.

😍

It’s showing for 11:15 AM I’m guessing because we set the clocks back an hour on Sunday

Had to stop watching your video at the 2 minute point. That’s when ads popped up while you were mid sentence. One had to waste 30 seconds to skip the two ads. I don’t appreciate ads just a minute or two from the start of the video and don’t like being held hostage by them. You need more control over ad placement. And I will purposely not buy what the ads were about. KZfaq started out with ads every few videos, not on every one of them. Now they over do it. You loss.