Posts Tagged ‘photography techniques’

Lines and Shapes in Photography

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Composing a good photograph isn’t just done by framing your subjects inside the viewfinder. In order to have better photographs, one should try to make effective compositions. A strong composition is the product of a thoughtful study of the environment around you, its lines, shapes, and the patterns they form.

Lines can have a very nice impact on your composition making it more appealing. They can grab the attention of the eye into a certain direction, they can add depth to the photo, and they can form interesting patterns.

While you may not notice, lines are abundant in our surroundings. The horizon, beaches and fallen trees, all can add interesting horizontal lines to your photos which can add a sense of stability to the picture. While adding lines to you composition, you should not forget about the Rule of Thirds, and try keep the horizontal lines perpendicular to the edges of your photo. Remember that this type of lines is usually more convenient to horizontal photos .

If you look around, you’ll probably notice that vertical lines are even more abundant. Think of buildings, upright trees and light posts, they usually reflect growth and strength and when used correctly, they can provide interesting patterns especially when the photograph contains other elements. To avoid misusing the vertical lines, make sure that they are perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of the photo. These lines look best in portrait orientation.

Another type of lines is the diagonal lines. Just look ahead of you along road or railway lines and you will sense a feeling of depth while your eyes will be set to their point of convergence of the diagonal lines. They can give a sense of speed and movement. It is usually better to have the diagonal lines away from the photo’s diagonals so as to make it more interesting.

The perspective usually control how the lines exist inside the photo. By utilizing a different angle, a pair of parallel lines can easily become converging lines and lead the eyes into the photograph. This can produce a totally different composition with more depth and more points of interest at the meeting point of the diagonal lines.

While lines may add a certain mood to your photograph, shapes usually provide the meaning. Shapes are the 2D outlines of the objects, and they play a major role in making these objects recognizable. Contrasting an object with a different background is usually the best way to put emphasis on its shape . Thus, the edges of your object will be clear, and consequently, its shape will be very well defined.

Every object has its own distinct shape from specific angles, but some objects may look similar from different points of view. Because photographs have two dimensions only, choosing the right perspective is essential to present the object with the shape you want.

Understanding composition in terms of lines and shapes is one step forward toward more mature artistic expression.

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Selecting a Basic Compact Digital Camera

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Whether you are a hobbyist photographer or just want to take pictures of yourself and the people around you, selecting the correct compact camera may be quite a troublesome task, especially if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. Compact cameras come in all sizes, prices and functionalities; the process of choosing the correct one will certainly be overwhelming for anyone new to it.

As an initial step, think about the camera you will buy, how you will use it and what do you want your pictures to look like. This will allow you to limit your search in a specific range and which will eventually save you a lot of time and money.

If you are looking for an ordinary camera to take your photos without caring much about advancing in photography, then a basic camera should be enough. You will be able to find a lot of cheap basic compact digital cameras. It is still possible to find some good set of basic functions in this range such as autofocusing and white balancing. This will allow you to start taking photos without much hassle.

If you take your photographic artistic expression more seriously, or if you still want ordinary photos but with better quality, try to look for a camera that will give you better control over the photographing process. More features like better optical zooming, better light sensitivity, image stabilization and some manual controls, will certainly become handy while shooting, and will allow you to take better photographs.

Aspiring photographers with somewhat limited budgets may still be able to produce professional quality photographs using high-end compact cameras . The results may not be as good as those of DSLRs, but these cameras are capable to produce very high quality photographs compared to other compact cameras due to the manual settings they have (aperture, focus, and shutter speeds), the better lenses, and the stronger sensors. Also, the capability to capture photos in RAW format means more freedom to the photographer.

The camera with the best value is the one that you will make use of all its functionalities. Maybe you have a video camcorder and you don’t need to record video with your compact digital camera. In this case, you may choose a compact camera with the same price but with no audio or video features as this will usually mean better photographing capabilities. Another feature that is usually emphasized so as to confuse the buyers is the amount of megapixels that constitute an image produced by the camera. A large number of megapixels is needed for very large prints and it allows more details in the photographs. But bear in mind that this number is in no way an indication of the quality of the image this camera can produce.

To have a good idea about what to expect, it is usually recommended to read online reviews and comparisons regarding the cameras you are considering. Search for photographs taken with different cameras in photo sharing website, or look for test photos taken by reviewers. Thus, you may know what to expect from the one you are going to buy.

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The Famous Rule of Thirds in Photography

Monday, September 14th, 2009

The most famous of the so called “rules of photography,” the Rule of Thirds is probably the first thing you will hear about when you begin the learning process. It is based upon the common belief that the eyes first look at the sides of a photograph, not at its center . That’s why, according to the rule, the subject should be placed along imaginary lines indicating the best spots within the photograph.

While the Rule of Thirds is very important for composing good photographs, it is also the easiest to understand and apply of all the photography rules. All you need is just to know how you should frame your subject.

A photograph is divided into a 3×3 grid similar to that of thee famous Tic-tac-toe game. Two lines are used to divide the photograph into three horizontal sections, while two other perpendicular lines divide it into three vertical sections. Thus, we will have four intersection points, each of which is a hot-spot for framing the subjects . In general, the lines together with the intersection points should be used to align the main subjects of your photos so as to have one that complies with the Rule of Thirds.

Photographing at close range will yield a subject that is too big to be framed as a whole. As a result, interesting features within the subject should be aligned instead. An interesting example of this case is a closeup portrait where the facial features are the objects that form the composition. Most photographers align the eyes to the first horizontal line from top. This will put emphasis on the eye, frame the whole face, and leave no details out of the picture.

The Rule of Thirds is commonly used in landscape photography as well. A lone subject in the foreground (a tree for example) is a perfect candidate to be aligned to one of the vertical lines. Horizons in the background, if any, should be placed along one of the horizontal lines. Some landscape photos may contain other elements in the background like clouds or mountains. These can also be aligned to the lines of thirds and, if possible, separated in different thirds, producing a well composed photograph.

Despite being important to the composition, some flexibility should exist when applying this rule. For instance, if you align everything in perfect compliance with the rule just to discover that an essential part will not be included inside the frame, slightly moving the viewfinder to include all the details will not cause any damages. In other situations the rule is usually neglected, like when trying to balance reflection with the real subjects inside the frame. Here, the mirror line (the line separating the reflection from the real) is usually aligned at the middle.

The Rule of Thirds is an easy to learn, yet very effective technique. When used correctly, it will take your photographs to a whole new level.

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Getting the Best Out of Your Compact Digital Camera

Monday, September 14th, 2009

A compact digital camera usually appeals to those who are interested in taking good photographs with no trouble. Taking a photograph can be as easy as pointing and shooting. It doesn’t have to be like this though, as you would be missing a lot of possibilities.

The best way to get to know your camera is by learning about its capabilities. Most compact cameras come with a preset of automatic settings used in specific situations. They are sufficient in most conditions, however, being able to manually adjust your photos will generally yield better results . That’s why manual setting are usually more preferred. The give you the ability to fine tune your photos as you wish.

If printing photographs is desired, the camera should be set to maximum quality and the photographs should be stored at the maximum resolution. Prints usually require high resolution, and any compromise in the photo’s quality is not a good thing. Consequently, the size of the images will increase, so it is advisable to make sure you will have enough space in your storage media, while at the same time trying to find a reliable backup solution.

Nearly every compact camera sports an autofocus feature these days. When taking your picture, just press the shutter button half way down and keep holding it that way. According to the available objects in the viewfinder automatic focus will be chosen. Holding down the button half way down allows maintaining the focus as well as the exposure even when the camera is moving. Pressing down the other half will capture the image.

Even if your camera has an anti-shaking feature, it is usually better to use a tripod (or anything equivalent) to hold the camera still while photographing in low light situations. Unless you can rest your hand on something, it is nearly impossible to hold the camera still during long exposures. Most compact digital cameras will not produce very clear images in low lighting even when a tripod is used, so it is always advisable to improve the lighting if possible.

In all the features that your camera is capable of, some are not very useful. Compact cameras are usually not very capable of producing good photos at very high ISOs which should only be used when photographing objects moving at high speeds. The built-in flash should be avoided except for open areas or very dark places. The small distance between the lens and the flash source will produce very harsh shadows behind the subjects making them look like cardboard. It is usually better to consider external light which will give your photos a better professional look. As for the digital zoom, it should be neglected altogether.

Obviously, one needs to understand some basic photography concepts in order to get the best out of his camera . Fortunately, this can only increase its worth by making it produce better photographs and increase your experience by making you a better photographer.

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Focal Points In Photography

Monday, September 14th, 2009

In optics, a focal point is the point of intersection of parallel light rays that passes through a convex lens or that are reflected from a concave mirror. Similarly, in photography, a focal point can be considered as the place on which all the observers’ eyes will be set when he looks at a photo. Therefore, focal points are important elements of any photograph.

A plain photo with no focal points will probably not grab the attention of the observer for a long time even if the composition is great. The reason is that the eyes usually look for something interesting and unique to grab their attention. Whether it is a flower, a barrel, or a human, any interesting object will do.

The impact of the focal point on your photo can be further enhanced using many techniques. Next time you are taking a photograph, think where the focal point should be. According to the Rule of Thirds, it is better to be placed at one of the four intersection points. A different approach is to let other elements, like leading lines, dictate the focal point. In this case the Rule of Thirds can be neglected for a more symmetric composition.

In addition to the position, contrasting your object with a background of textures or patterns will make it stand out too. This contrast will add more definition to the shape of your object yielding an excellent focal point. A strong colorful contrast can only improve the effect further. Always remember that the brighter and bigger your object is, the more attention it will grab.

Another form of contrast that can be used is that of details. This is achieved by blurring out the foreground to bring the focus on an object in the background, or vice versa. The abrupt change in details will give the object a definitive and clear shape, making it the center of attention. During this process, the depth of field is changed. The shallower the DOF is, the blurrier the out of focus objects will be. A similar effect can be the result of motion blur. A still object will stand out in a photograph with many moving objects when utilizing a slow shutter speed.

Although you may contain more than one focal point in your composition, too many will just render your photograph confusing. So next time while composing your photo, let your eyes lead you.  

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