What Is Curiosity Gap In Photography?
Evoke interest in your photos
I recently came across the word curiosity gap and I found it rather interesting. The curiosity gap is a strategy in marketing where half of the information about the product is provided and the other half is left to the imagination of the viewer. This evokes curiosity in the viewer and a desire to know more. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle where it gets more exciting as the pattern begins to emerge and one is eager to complete it. Many photographers have adapted the curiosity gap concept in photography as well.
Usually, one witnesses two types of street photography. One which involves a rather literal understanding of street photography. This kind of photography captures people on the street in various situations with angle variations. I find this quite boring.
The other kind which I find more interesting is the one where you can see mood and mystery in a photograph. The photographer uses light and shadows creatively, plays around with colour, and photographs patterns and designs. It is these kinds of photographs that have the element of a ‘curiosity gap.’ Some part of the photograph is left to the imagination of the viewer to interpret the photograph.
One can use various elements like blurs, high contrast lighting, negative space, and striking colours and create layers in composition to add to the mood of the photograph. Creating shadows with high contrast images, capturing silhouettes of people, using shadows to form patterns and designs — all these create intriguing images. Take photos through textured glass.
To make an image obscure, reveal one part and conceal another part and the result is an interesting photograph. What I like is that many times one can witness the character of the street through other things than just faces or people. Abstract photography is also a possibility. The curiosity gap in photography is about giving clues to the viewer so that they desire to learn more.
I find nighttime is great to add that extra touch to the mood of this kind of street photography. Day is where one practices subject-driven photography whereas night becomes more about light-driven photography. Light can be used to create moody photographs. Whatever happens in the space of the source of light can be used creatively to come up with a composition.
In India, colour is everything. It is reflected everywhere on the streets. Light and colour add depth and layers to the image. Night photography is challenging but it can add more abstraction, intrigue and mystique. A night photographer is comparable to a moth. Just as the moth is attracted to light, the night lights give the photographer an opportunity to explore moody photography.
When we use the curiosity gap in our photography, we go from making attractive photographs to more thought-provoking ones. These kinds of photographs compel the viewer to spend more time in understanding and interpreting the photograph. The curiosity gap in photography leads to story-telling and engaging photographs.
