#jerifink

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                                          What do YOU see?

                                             By Dr. Jeri Fink

Profile photos seem innocent. Yet people make critical judgments about those faces in seconds . . . right or wrong. A profile photo can mean a new job, contact, sale, or friend. Most of us are casual about our profile photos. Should we take them more seriously?

www.photofeeler.com evaluated these two profile photos of me. Which “Dr. Jeri” would you choose? Which would you “toss” away? Photofeeler found the face in photo #1 competent, likeable, and influential - a good impression. Photo #2 flunked.

Next time you post a profile photo think about where it’s going, who’s looking, and what you want to say about yourself. Don’t forget – the background counts too!

 Discover the world of photo psychology by clicking here and signing up!

[jerifink]

                                            What do YOU see?

                                              By Dr. Jeri Fink

Lines are a major part of photo composition. Horizontal lines suggest tranquility while diagonals create depth and movement, directing your eye into the image. In the above photo of Grand Central Station, New York City, diagonals lure the eye into the story – trains headed to unknown destinations. Everything converges – the trains, platforms, ramps, handrails – into an infinite space on the horizon. Where are the trains going or coming from? Where are the passengers? Where is the end? The image can be unnerving. There are no schedules, stops, and destinations - an eerie abstraction of the familiar. What do you see? Where is your convergence? How does it make you feel?

 Click here to discover the exciting world of photo psychology.

[jerifink]

                                               What do YOU see?

                                                  By Dr. Jeri Fink

Time and space define who we are.

What happens when you remove these elements? There’s no context – is the image in a crowded city, sprawling suburb, or rural plain? There’s no way to know. Instead, it hovers in the sky; beyond time and space. Do you find it elevating as if floating above the maddening crowd? Or does it make you uncomfortable, without definition?

Your response might reflect your present state of mind. Discomfort suggests that you have no anchor in your life – time and space is variable, untouchable, and changeable. Elevating implies that your life is good; your future secure.

Discover the world of photo psychology by clicking here and signing up!

[jerifink]

                                             What do YOU see?

                                                By Dr. Jeri Fink

Sometimes what you don’t see in an image says more than what’s there. This man is looking out over the water, shielding his eyes from the sun. Is he on a ship, a pier, or a balcony?  What is he looking at . . . or for? Why?

Your answers create thoughts, questions, and stories that reflect your present state of mind. Are you searching for something that’s on the edge of your vision? Are you looking for someone or something absent from your life? Open your mind and imagination to the possibilities beyond the horizon.

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[jerifink]

                                            What do YOU see?

                                               By Dr. Jeri Fink

A visual metaphor is an image that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. We use it in most types of visual media – from photography and video to print.

Does this visual metaphor represent survival, death, or struggle? Perhaps it’s heroic – a spot of brave red in the dark? Whether your response is positive, negative, or neutral, the visual metaphor says something about how you view your life now. Is it fulfilling, boring, or mediocre? Do you have others to share or do you stand alone? Compare your thoughts - what do other people see this photo? Do you agree or disagree?

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[jerifink]

                                              What do YOU see?

                                                 By Dr. Jeri Fink

Nothing speaks more clearly than a human face. We mirror ourselves in the emotions embedded in the image. Is he happy? Pensive? Sad? Does his expression reflect what we feel at the moment or all the time? Where is he looking?

Your eyes instinctively follow his into an undefined space. What is he seeking? The muted background forces you to wonder – about him and you. The questions expand – why is he dressed is such formal, traditional clothes? Does he long for the past? Do you long for the past? Stories might surface. Perhaps he’s an actor, or a refined old gentleman, like your grandfather or a professor you knew many years ago.

The image is specific and at the same time, opens to a world of possibilities.

Go with it.

 Look for more “What do YOU see?” images here.

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[jerifink]

                                             What do YOU see?

                                                     By Dr. Jeri Fink

How is your life going? Do you feel like there’s a great future, you’re stuck, or things are getting worse by the day?

The Canadian Goose in this photo tells a similar story. He’s on the lower left edge of the photo, head up, moving into endless waters. The suggestion of branches in the upper left side implies that the goose leaving land and moving on. The reflection of the gray clouds in the water hints that troubles are being left behind.

Is that how you feel about your future?

A photographer can compose an image to reflect his or her state of mind, or send a message of beginning or ending, hope or despair. If the photograph was flipped, with the goose looking into the dark edge of the water, what would it say to you?

Look for more “What do YOU see?” images here.

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[jerifink]

What do YOU see?

By Dr. Jeri Fink

Color rules.

Research has found that color preferences say a lot about who you are. Colors have “personalities” as well as create moods – in everything from clothing and homes to photographs.

The guidelines are simple – blues make you feel calm and at peace. Green is the color of nature and tends to be refreshing and relaxing (like the “green rooms” used for people waiting to appear on TV). Yellows are hot, cheerful, and optimistic but also more difficult for the human eye to process. Red is intense, exciting, and extreme.

Black is the color of authority, associated with power, aloofness, or evil. Perhaps that’s why it’s considered a fashion statement.

Look at the birds above. Which color do you prefer? Your choice says a lot about you and your approach life.

 Look for more “What do YOU see?” images here.

Discover the fascinating world of photo psychology by clicking here and signing up!