Out of Frame

The idea is simple: push the main motif to the edge of the image, or even beyond the borders of the frame. Concentrate instead on the apparently empty space, on the unexpected detail, or on things that normally remain in the background. Curiosity is aroused when the main motif is deliberately left out or truncated. There is space for the imagination or personal associations, so that the viewer is invited to complete the image with their own interpretation. It soon becomes clear that this technique gives rise to exciting possibilities, for telling stories from completely new perspectives. 

In the pictures presented here, which where all made by LFI.Gallery users, you won't find perfectly centred motifs or the golden mean: instead expect to find surprising angles, generously empty spaces, and main motifs tumbling out of the frame or suggestively beyond its borders. These pictures challenge us to read between the lines, and to look beyond the edge of the plate. They show us that there are times when what we don't see is as important as the obvious.

01. Urs Scheidegger
“The picture was taken in Portugal on a hot summer's day, when any kind of cooling off was appreciated. A neat lady carefully placed her things by the side of the pool before diving into the water. The shape of the pool as well as the items placed beside it, inspired me to take this snapshot.” 

02. Juan Mañana
“The picture was taken from my friend's apartment. We were having a coffee when I saw a hand appearing from behind a curtain. I had just the right amount of time to take out the camera and shoot; a few seconds later the hand had disappeared. I confess I have a weakness for people's hands. Since I was a child I play a game that consists in guessing what people's faces look like, their age, attitudes, etc. I rarely succeed, but it's funny. I suppose this is the reason why I love taking pictures of people's hands when I can't see their faces.”

03. Tommaso Carrara
“I was walking through the narrow streets of Marrakesh, when I noticed this cat in a patch of sunlight. It was not grooming itself at first, and I waited a little in search of opportunities. A few tourists would pass by and pet it; that's when the cat started being a cat. At some point, when the sun got stronger, the cat just took a seat and started grooming itself, not giving a damn about the surrounding traffic and noise from the street.”

04. Dave Ip
"This photo was taken at Choi Hung Estate in Hong Kong when I was doing street photography. All street photography comes from the mind and the unexpected scene. The thing that most attracted me were the colours and the line, and also the unexpected bird that was standing there. All the important elements were gathered together in an instant, and I just had to take a memorable picture.”

05. Selmo Kim
“This picture was taken in Seoul, Korea, on a rainy day. I went up to the rooftop to photograph people with umbrellas. I didn't expect to capture such a perfect scene. Taking street photos always has the allure of unexpected scenes waiting for me. This scene, too, was an unexpected moment that came to me by chance, and as a photographer, it makes me feel alive.”

06. Fritz Reinhard
“This picture was taken in Paris. It had rained and the sun was setting. It seemed obvious to take a picture with the setting sun in the background, which I did, but that was too placative for me. So I opted instead for a picture where an excerpt of the pyramid could be seen at the top, and where the whole is then recognisable in the reflections. The geometric forms reminded me of the crystalline, fanned-out architectural perspectives of Lyonel Feininger. I waited for the cyclist, so as to give the eye direction. For me the pictures stands for orientation in an increasingly complex world, while also questioning ways of seeing.”

07. Edas Wong
“I took this photo in Tokyo. When I was on my way to nearby subway station, I observed a headless object with black/grey coloured clothes about 100 metres away. After seeing it more carefully, I realized that the woman was actually wearing a white hat, which was same colour as the wall. It was actually quite funny and weird. So I quickly walked over and shot the picture.”

08. Angelika Noack
“This picture shows the left-hand side of the Monument aux morts de l'Armée d'Orient in Marseille – a memorial to members of the Army of the Orient fallen during the First World War. The lively yellow/blue contrast is the central motif, making the slight obscuring of the lettering unimportant."

09. Hiroki Nagamine
“This is an artificial turf soccer field in Fukuoka, Japan. It's a scene from a corner kick, but the white lines looked different from the original interpretation. I expressed the power of the player kicking with all his might, through the contrast between static and dynamic. At the same time, I wanted to express the beauty of the oriental "ma". It's an infinite universe. It's a free mind, free from fixed ideas and preconceptions.