Mystery: it’s the biggest thing missing from images today. That’s because most photographers create images for algorithms that are designed to give the entire story away to increase engagement on the platform. That said, people aren’t left wanting more when they look at the images they see. Our society wants to give everything away because that’s how we hook people lest they be distracted by other things. But good photography doesn’t lean into what an algorithm dictates people should do. Instead, it tempts people to get deeper in with it and give them their 100% attention.
One of our favorite photographers who created mystery in their images was Rodney Smith. Two who do it today are Brooke DiDonoto and Cig Harvey. Brooke adds mystery to all her images; which aren’t created for an algorithm. It’s also one of the reasons why people love Lizzy Gadd so much and her print sales are always sold out.
So, what are ways that you can create mystery in your images?
Table of Contents
Silhouettes Create Mystery
Silhouettes get the mind thinking about exactly what’s in front of them. The mind doesn’t know what’s fully there, so it tries to make assumptions for itself. Is the woman clothed? Does she have tattoos? What color is her hair? All of this adds mystery and intrigue.
Including a Part of the Subject, Not the Whole
We don’t really know what’s happening here. All we see is some guy who is obfuscated by his dog that’s pulling on a divider. So, we don’t know the whole story. It makes us wonder what’s going on here, and therefore, it will make us stare.
Hidden Faces are a Big Part of the Mystery
This is an age-old trick that so many photographers have used very well. It’s popular in street photography. Several portrait photographers use this method too when they make an entire portrait series. Anastasia Egonyan does this in some of her portraits.
Oddities
I mean, how again can you look at a scene and then wonder, “What the heck am I looking at?” That’s what we’re trying to create here. When you do this, you aren’t causing confusion; but instead you’re creating interest. Someone surely wants to know more about the image that you’re shooting.
Abstracts
One of my favorite things to do is make in-camera paintings. People can stare at them for a while trying to figure out what they’re looking at. It’s the same with abstracts in images.
Soften the Details
Slow the shutter speed down or use some sort of special lens filter to create mystery and soften the details of your images. The world doesn’t need to know everything about the image that you’re about to shoot. You can have your subject move to do this or you can do it with intentional camera movement.
Leave Room for Interpretation
In these two images, the mind is trying to make sense of what it sees. In the photo above, a photographer is taking a photo of something we don’t see. In the image below, a photographer looks like he’s the third wheel between the couple. These kinds of things add mystery to your images.
Do you know the actual stories? Honestly, I don’t really know them either because I didn’t talk to the people I photographed.
Use Blur to Create Mystery
Sometimes using blur to create mystery can be fun. This can be through a slow shutter speed or intentional focus.