_DSC9449DON JOHNSON 2089399397

Splat. Red. Shattered. Slo-mo chaos.

The kids on the hot tar roof can scarcely contain themselves as they toss the watermelon over the edge. Eleven stories down a solemn wedding is taking place on the marble steps under the arch and this is the best idea ever to make mischief.

The melon gathers speed. It seems to fall forever, slowly turning like an oblong planet along its trajectory. It approaches the target - the sidewalk a few feet from the rapt guests.

Splat! Screaming! Heads jerking around! Chairs overturning! Ha ha! It worked!

Ah, to be an irresponsible kid again.*

It's an easy assumption that unexpected watermelon drops will  garner a fair share of attention.

How about your photographs? Do they have the falling watermelon effect or do they just sit in the bin waiting for someone to come by, give them all a knuckle thump, and plop one at random in the shopping cart?

There's a word for the effect of gravitationally influenced watermelons: IMPACT. We want our photographs to splat in our viewers' eye and splash all over their pressed white shirts. We want our images to be remembered longer than a conversation; their stains should be permanent.

Several basic elements go into creating photographs with impact. We delve into one or another with every assignment. Creativity, story, technical expertise, and composition are four major limbs, with many more branches and twigs to climb once we start up the tree.

For this assignment, we're going right for the bullseye, the visual splat of an impactful photograph. Do what it takes to help your image find its voice, to make it sing, to splat in someone's eye. Your photograph might be profound, humorous, delicate, subtle, touching, difficult or easy on the eyes. An impactful photograph can wear many disguises but every one has soul if its teased out.

IMPACT will run for two weeks, from April 24 through May 7.

* This example was purely fictional. Really. Well, almost.

"Leap into the boundless and make it your home!" - Chuang-Tzu

NOTES:

• If you'd like to share in these workouts with other people (always a great idea), you're invited to join my Facebook Photo Assignment group where you can post images and comments, learn from others, and help other budding photographers learn our amazing craft. 
• If you're interested in bettering your Photoshop and Lightroom skills, I have an aptly named second Facebook group called Circle of Confusion. You're invited to join it, as well, but you'll need to be a Photo Assignment member first. Join both and you're good to go.