Use the unexpected to keep your audience on their toes.
Susan says, “Lucia took this photo at the Oregon Country Fair, a venerable playground for the odd and the free spirited. Here is a one of them. This cellist is wearing a lovely blouse with long, hanging sleeves that are, no doubt, mesmerizing when put into motion by her bow arm. That seems a likely and understandable dress choice for a cellist, but what about her muddy rubber boots and the pink goggles perched on top of her head. These choices are unusual and will make your audience think twice about any assumptions they may have about this cellist and of cellists in general. One of the better ways to keep your audience focused on your presentation is to use this sort of odd, off, or goofy juxtaposition. Just as we all get sucked into finding Waldo, your audience will be happy to find the thing that sets your photo off from the ordinary and challenges the assumptions your audience might make. Since our brains are designed to make these discoveries, it is a good way to keep your audiences synapses firing. Oh, by the way, did you find the black feathers?”
Lucia says, “Yes this photo is about assumptions. Seeing a cellist may conger ideas of stuffy classical music. Well, I must say, I’ve known a lot of cellists in my life and some of them have been pretty straight-laced, but other have been truly whacky. Obviously, this cellist falls into the oddball bracket. So did her music. It was as mesmerizing to the ear as she was to the eye. Although, she had an unconventional look, she fit right in with the free-spirited backdrop of the fair. As for the boots, they may have added a funny twist to her outfit, but they were practical. It was very muddy at the fair. So this cellist fit in with her surroundings, she echoed her music, and she was sensible in her footwear. As Susan pointed out, this photo could get your audience to think outside the box.”
