composition – Page 12

Wanna Get Lucky?

February 11, 2009 Jason2 Comments

How many times have you seen a picture where it just made you say “WOW! I wish I could capture something like that!” And, you ask the person, “How’d you get that shot?” Typically you’ll get an answer like “Just got lucky I guess.” Well, I am not sure I buy into that. Does luck really factor into taking good pictures? Perhaps on rare occasions it does, because as the old saying goes, “Even a blind squirrel can find a nut occasionally”

But consistently taking good pictures requires more than luck. It requires certain key elements that anyone can incorporate to increase their “keeper ratio”. Today, I’ll look at 5 ways to increase your keepers. So, here’s 5 ways to get lucky!

Plan ahead. Just the mere act of planning for a shot can help. If you know you’re going to be in the mountains, take a wide angle lens with you. If you know you’re going to be at a party, take that nifty fifty. Wildlife? Take a zoom! Remember, prior planning not only prevents poor performance, but it also can help you take better pictures.
Learn the technical stuff. Know the technical stuff. Memorize it. There are certain fundamentals you just have to know, and by taking that sundry stuff and migrating it to a point where it’s in the back of your head and you don’t even have to think about it, then they can become tools. If you understand apertures inside and out, then you can really use depth of field to create better pictures. The same goes for planes of view, angles of view, composition rules, and all that other stuff.
Take lots of pictures. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. So, stop reading forums, blogs, magazines, books, and all that stuff from time to time (except for my blog of course!), and get out there and practice, practice, practice!
Look at the pictures of others. Not only is appreciation of others work inspiring in its own right, but you can also train your eye to see what makes some images just “work”.
Dedicate some time each day to do something related to photography. It can be any of the above, from taking pictures, to editing pictures, looking at the works of others, studying your manual (learning about apertures, shutters, etc.), or any other photography-related ideas. You can only improve your skills by repeated use. Since I’ve referenced other idioms, another one could apply here: If you don’t use it, you lose it. Just like musicians who practice every day to get better, if you don’t practice your craft regularly, you won’t get better.

So, there you have it, 5 ways to improve your luck. And this is just from my own perspective. As is always the case when it comes to opinions, there are probably many more out there. Got your own ideas about ways to “get lucky”? Share them in the comments section or via email. In the meantime, Happy Shooting – hope everyone can “get lucky”!

The Crop Factor…

February 6, 2009 Jason5 Comments

First off, my apologies for the absenteeism yesterday. After a really fun photo shoot with some friends in downtown Denver (more on that next week), I got home super late (by working standards – my shift is 7-4 and I need to take a bus an hour to get there…so I leave at 6, which means I am up at 5!), and went almost straight to bed! Hopefully the content today will make up for this, because it’s time to talk about (cue fanfare music)…the crop factor!

Now, before anyone gets all uppity because sensor crop factors have been discussed ad infinitum, just relax, because this isn’t about sensors (well, a little, but indirectly). I am talking about cropping your pictures in camera. We all do it, often to improve composition, or to focus in on one area of an image – but what about those undesired crops? What am I talking about? I am talking about images where it looks really great “in camera” but when you go to print it, the native aspect ratio won’t work for the size you want to print to. See, most SLR cameras (non-full frame anyway) have roughly an aspect ratio of 2:3. This means that you can print at this ratio without losing anything in your image. But, if you want to print at a different aspect ratio, then something has to be cropped out.

So, what aspect ratio will work with the 2:3 proportions? Who all remembers their grade school math? All you have to do is multiply each side of the ratio by the same number. So, prints that work are …

2×3″ prints (2:3 x 1:1 = 2×3)
4×6″ prints (2:3 x 2:2 = 4:6)
6×9″ prints (2:3 x 3:3 = 6:9)
8×12″ prints (2:3 x 4:4 = 8:12)

You get the gist…but here’s the thing – the only “standard” print size that really fits our native camera aspect ratio is the 4×6″ print. What if we want an 8×10″ print? Well, cropping is required then. This means losing some of your image. So, this also means that you need to think about this during image composition in camera – if you like it – and want to print it – remember to frame things so that the crop won’t lose key elements of the picture. Here’s a perfect example:

isla_original

I took the above shot on a trip down in Isla Mujeres. I absolutely love this shot. The problem is that my proportions are lost when I crop to print an 8×10. Take a look at the 8×10 crop:

isla_crop

It still looks pretty good, and I love the colors still, but some of the impact has been lost by cropping out the frame on both the left and the right. See how the brown “framing element” has been lost? I could have cropped less on that side and more on the orange side (even though the orange side is still cropped to a degree), but hopefully you’ll see the difference easily enough because it’s really the orange, yellow and blue that I think are the fundamental colors that hold my eye for this shot. Suffice to say, I still loved it enough to print and frame an 8×10…but that’s not the point here.

The point is to try and remember to frame your composition in camera with “the crop factor” in mind. By taking these measures into consideration, you can really have many more printable memories. So, when you go out shooting this weekend, keep the crop factor in mind. Happy shooting, enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you back here on Monday!

Look for Lines

June 5, 2008 Jason1 Comment

Shapes

For this week’s edition of “Thursday Thoughts”, I’d like to take a look at the subject of composition. We always are striving to enhance our composition, either by understanding the rules of composition better, or by pushing the envelope in new directions. With the explosion of digital photography, the decreased price of entry, and the abundance of opinions, now more than ever, if you really want to succeed in photography, it helps to get a jump on the learning curve by a better understanding of what works consistently over time. There’s a reason why we often refer to the Rule of Thirds, or the Golden Mean when talking about classic composition – because they work. Time and time again, when photos are composed along these rough guidelines, the results are more pleasing than the same subject without the rules of composition applied.

One of the interesting things though about these rules is how they all use some form of linear movement through pictures. Whether the lines are vertical and horizontal, diagonal or even curved, the way you compose your pictures along these imaginary lines will have an impact on the final result of your image. So, rather than looking at the rules of photography, let’s break it down into a more elemental context: usage of lines.

As I mentioned above, there are four ways in which lines can take you through an image, vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and curved. Knowing the impact each of these types of lines will have on your pictures can really help as you look for scenes to capture and share with the world. And, as the old saying goes, “knowing is half the battle”…

Vertical lines – What creates vertical lines in images? In nature, things like trees are great examples of vertical lines. Architecture also provides excellent material for including vertical lines in your images. Are you a people person? Try taking pictures near someone’s feet, looking up. The vertical lines of their legs will have a tremendous impact on your pictures. So, what does this mean? Usually, vertical lines are connoted with stability and power. These lines will anchor your images at the base (or top) of where the lines start (or end.)

Horizontal lines – What creates horizontal lines? Horizons are great examples, and architecture also can provide horizontals. Looking for portrait examples? Try imagining a horizontal line across the bottom or top of someone’s eyes or teeth. We all love shots of sleeping babies too. Their bodies are usually horizontally composed. Horizontals usually are associated with peacefulness and tranquility.

Diagonal lines – What creates diagonal lines? This is a little trickier, because linear progression usually occurs (both in nature and in man-made objects) horizontally or vertically. This requires actually re-positioning your camera from its traditional position to find diagonals. Some examples that are easier to see include bridges, piers, and docks. Also, try looking at things at a different angle, or just looking in new directions. The sail lines of a boat are good examples of diagonals. Pitched rooflines work for architecture too. In people photography, the nose provides angles as do some jaw lines. You can also position people’s arms and legs to give an angular line in the picture. Diagonal lines are lots of fun because they make things more active and dynamic. I’ve even read about diagonals creating tension and suggesting motion.

Curved lines – What about curved lines? Curves are great at leading the eye through a picture. Imagine winding roads and curvy paths or ripples in waves ax examples in nature. For portrait work, the curvature of some cheekbones is a great perspective to base an anchor point of an image. Eyes also work here, as do smiles and facial expressions. Overall curves suggest motion because the eyes are always following the path the curve takes them on, but this motion is usually a smooth one, so there is also an association with grace.

Lines are fun to find, especially if you mentally take note to look for particular instances. Take a day and say to yourself “today I am going to find curved lines” and see how many you find. Take notes and return with your camera (or take the shot if you have it with you!). With time you’ll find which types of lines speak to your preferences as well as where to position them in camera to yield the best composition.

Anyway, that’s the Thursday Thoughts for this week. I hope you all enjoyed it, and perhaps you’ll find new lines as you go out, cameras in hand this weekend. Happy shooting, watch those apertures, and find the lines!