When composing photos I find I usually do one of two things. I either follow the ‘rule of thirds’ (roughly) or I look for symmetry. The latter works best for architecture, for portraits (human or animal) and for some close-up and macro shots.
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Before photographing your subject, it’s worth taking time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. As well as shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.
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Keeping things simple doesn’t mean taking it easy. Sometimes it’s harder to leave things out when composing an image than to include them. There can be a temptation to cram everything in, to show it all in a single image. However, often your subject will have more impact on the viewer if it stands alone, free of clutter. This is something I try for in all my photography; leaving the non-essentials out of an image. But sometimes keeping it simple isn’t enough; I want to strip away almost everything to create a truly minimalist image.
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Who hasn’t explored a building, maybe an impressive fortress or palace, and had one of those ‘wow’ moments as you emerge from the darkness of the building to an arch or window revealing the lightness outside?
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Edward Weston said that, 'To consult the rules of composition before making a picture is a little like consulting the law of gravitation before going for a walk.' He is right of course, but that doesn’t mean it isn't helpful to be aware of these ‘rules’.
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Of course spring flowers are glorious in their own right. We love to see them both for their beauty and because they herald summer days to come. But I’ve shared so many in the past. So when Terri asked to see some fabulous seasonal florals I wanted to do something different.
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While I have little interest in cars or motorbikes for themselves, I do find them interesting photographically speaking. And especially so old cars and shiny bikes!
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Bokeh is a Japanese word that refers to blur used deliberately to heighten the impact of a photo, by isolating its main subject. It is an aesthetic technique and shouldn’t of course be confused with poor focusing or camera shake (both of which I am also capable of at times!)
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There are purists who say that only the shot as it came out of the camera is ‘true’. Others allow for a bit of mild cropping and straightening, nothing more. But some of us like to go further in the post-production editing process. So I thought it was time I joined the One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge.
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It’s all too easy perhaps to spot something photo-worthy, grab a couple of shots and move on. But I’ve found that the first shot you take, or even the third, is rarely the best. In the ‘old days’ of film photography, most of us could only afford to take two or three shots at most. If you wanted to come away with a memorable image it was important to take your time, walk around the subject and choose the best perspective.
