Getting Behind Getting Behind the Lensthe Lens

Some people forget to turn Some people forget to turn the camera for varied the camera for varied

scenes.scenes.

Hold the camera steady and just Hold the camera steady and just move your finger to snap pictures move your finger to snap pictures

or you will get photos like this.or you will get photos like this.

ComposingComposing

Look through your viewfinder, Look through your viewfinder, compose, then take three steps compose, then take three steps forward—or zoom, zoom, zoom.forward—or zoom, zoom, zoom.

Why????Why????

GoodGood

BetterBetter

CROP CROP CROPCROP CROP CROP

CROP CROP CROPCROP CROP CROP

Nice photo…Nice photo…

……but two competing places to look, but two competing places to look, two fairly equal focal points.two fairly equal focal points.

Better

Or

Worse?

BetterBetter

OrOr

Worse?Worse?

BetterBetter

OrOr

Worse?Worse?

GoodGood

BB

EE

TT

TT

EE

RR

Notice the Notice the triangular triangular compositioncomposition

Watch for Competing Images.Watch for Competing Images.Where do you look in this picture Where do you look in this picture

when there are 3 fairly equal when there are 3 fairly equal faces?faces?

Which Which BoyBoyDo Do YouYouLookLookAtAtFirst?First?

Second?Second?

1

2233 The

placing of

subjects

controls

where

viewers

look.

Practice the Rule of ThirdsPractice the Rule of Thirds

Notice the subjects are at the crossing points.Notice the subjects are at the crossing points.

RuleRuleofof

thirds.thirds.

……andandshe is she is

moving moving into the into the frame.frame.

Usually a mid photo Usually a mid photo horizon lacks dynamics.horizon lacks dynamics.

Try rule of thirds.

What What do you do you think think about about this this

photo?photo?

Don’t center every subject Don’t center every subject you photograph.you photograph.

Don’t have the subject Don’t have the subject looking at the “wall” or looking at the “wall” or closest edge of the photo.closest edge of the photo.

Notice the photo is cropped, the Notice the photo is cropped, the subject is not centered, the rule of subject is not centered, the rule of thirds is used and he has space to thirds is used and he has space to

look into.look into.

What do What do you think you think about this about this photo?photo?

Good or Good or bad?bad?

ExplainExplain..

How Important Is the How Important Is the Angle?Angle?

People normally see things from head high.People normally see things from head high.

What if you laid on your back and took What if you laid on your back and took pictures?pictures?

What if you stood on a ladder?What if you stood on a ladder?

Would these present a new and interesting Would these present a new and interesting viewpoint?viewpoint?

TopTop

DownDown

ViewView

The camera was held near the knees

pointing up.

The camera The camera was held was held above the above the head head pointing pointing down. Do down. Do the angles the angles make the make the photos more photos more dynamicdynamic??

This is an interesting angle but there is nothing to give perspective and the power lines are annoyingmerges.

Good angle or bad?Good angle or bad?

What do you do about What do you do about backlighting?backlighting?

Some photos establish the setting.Some photos establish the setting.

Others Others focus focus

on on subjecsubject and t and mood.mood.

Posed or…Posed or…

… …not posed?not posed?

Avoid Avoid MergesMerges

They are things They are things in the in the

background that background that take your eye take your eye away from the away from the

subject.subject.

There’s a car and There’s a car and a person in this a person in this

man’s hat.man’s hat.

Dodging, cropping and manipulating contrast.

GetGet

RidRid

OfOf

AnnoyingAnnoying

Merges…Merges…

……WithWith

PhotoShopPhotoShop

Again, use Again, use PhotoShop PhotoShop or Gimp to or Gimp to bring out bring out color and color and contrast.contrast.

Which is better?

SometimesSometimesyou getyou getlucky!lucky!

Thanks Thanks to to

PhotoShoPhotoShop, now p, now you see you see

it…it…

Now Now you you

don’t.don’t.

or C

olo

r

Bla

ck and

Wh

ite

Adju

sted co

lor o

r sepia

toned?

Use available “frames.”Use available “frames.”

TellTell

AA

StoryStory

WithWith

ActionAction

(Notice(Notice

Triangle)Triangle)

TimingTimingisis

important.important.

Be Be patient, patient,

wait, take wait, take a lot of a lot of

pictures.pictures.

Always be looking for the Always be looking for the unique.unique.

Butterfly on flower. Butterfly on flower. Patience!Patience!

CHAOSCHAOSoror

ORDER?ORDER?

GG

OO

OO

DD

oror

BB

AA

DD?

Chaos can be interesting but Chaos can be interesting but viewers also like to see viewers also like to see

patterns.patterns.

How do you like these?How do you like these?

UseUse

SomethingSomething

Or Or

SomeoneSomeone

ToTo

DemonstrateDemonstrate

SizeSize

How big are How big are these these

pitchers?pitchers?

Very Very big!big!

For texture, wait for the right light For texture, wait for the right light at the right time of day.at the right time of day.

Is the Is the texture in texture in this vertical this vertical photo good photo good or bad?or bad?

Explain.Explain.

Interesting or Not? Why?Interesting or Not? Why?

What about this?What about this?

A A PhotographicPhotographic Study of Study of SimilarSimilar

Objects Can BeObjects Can Be Fun and Fun and

Fascinating--Fascinating--Like PADLOCKSLike PADLOCKS

Or theOr the BUTA MOTIF BUTA MOTIF

Use leading lines to take Use leading lines to take the viewers eye to the the viewers eye to the

main interest.main interest.

Critique the following Critique the following photographs.photographs.

Notice some are Notice some are horizontal and some horizontal and some

vertical.vertical.

Now that you know Now that you know some rules, make sure some rules, make sure

to break them when to break them when necessary.necessary.

Take a regular picture!Take a regular picture!

Then ask them to get crazyThen ask them to get crazy!!

So…are you going to take So…are you going to take pictures of:pictures of:

People?People?Animals?Animals?Things?Things?Places?Places?

Occasions?Occasions?