Every great photo needs a subject or does it? A case for leaving the seat empty and letting your audience write the ending themselves.
Recently we talked about the importance of subject and the difference between an object and a subject. Here is something that might get me kicked out of some photography circles: Sometimes, it’s perfectly okay to not have a subject at all.
We are constantly told that every photo needs a “focal point” or a “clear story.” But if you look at some of the best abstract images, there is no subject. There is just… being.
Letting the Audience Drive
Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do as a photographer is to be intentionally vague. By stripping away the “Object” and refusing to define the “Subject,” you are creating what artists call an Open Work. When you post a photo of a sharp, clear bird, the audience says, “That’s a bird.” The conversation ends. But when you post a blur of motion, or a high contrast play of light where the shapes are barely recognizable, you are issuing an invitation.
You’re allowing the viewer to bring their own baggage, their own history, and their own mood into the frame.
One person might see Hope in that light.
Another might see Grief in the shadow.
When you don’t define the subject, you aren’t being lazy, you’re being generous. You’re handing over the keys to the image and saying, “You decide what this is about today.” If a frame feels right in your gut, but you can’t point to a “subject,” don’t bury it. Some of the most “you” photos you’ll ever take are the ones that act like a mirror for whoever is looking at them.