There is something about the idea of a corner. Who knows what might be around it? Whether on a city street or a quiet country lane, there is a sense of anticipation about what might be revealed.
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Let’s consider how much of your image is occupied by your main subject. Often the answer to that is, quite a lot of it. But you can take this to extremes, either filling the frame completely or leaving lots of empty space around your subject. Both can be effective, in different ways.
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Try to forget what objects you have before you - a tree, a house, a field, or whatever. Merely think, 'Here is a little square of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow,' and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it gives you your own impression of the scene before you.
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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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Green is the colour of nature, the colour of spring and summer. It is restful on the eye and calming to the soul. I think it must have inspired more poets and authors than any other colour. And there are almost as many shades of green in our world as there are writers to describe them. Or indeed photographers to try to capture and preserve their beauty!
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I think I have always liked travelling by train. As a child I lived and grew up in London, so journeys on the Underground were regular occurrences. My childhood bedroom looked out across a playing field to Ruislip Gardens station in the depths of so-called Metroland. Of course there were also childhood journeys on ‘real’ trains. Before my father learned to drive and bought our first car we would take an annual trip to the seaside by train, usually to Westgate on Sea in Kent.
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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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On our recent visit to Faro I found myself often looking down at my feet as I walked around. This was partly out of necessity; there were plenty of broken or uneven cobbles to trip me up! But it was also due to my fascination with the traditional patterns of the Portuguese pavements.
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In setting my previous Friendly Friday Challenge about the ‘rule of thirds’, I should perhaps have started with a disclaimer. We talk about the rules of photography but what we really mean are guidelines. Guidelines that help you to create compositions pleasing to the eye; guidelines that help you create impact and draw the viewer in.
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We stayed in some wonderful hotels in Costa Rica, and all of them had gorgeous gardens. The planting was true to the environment, with native trees and bushes and a real forest vibe. When we weren’t out exploring the national parks and reserves I spent much of my time photographing the colourful flowers, remarkable trees and beautiful birds.
