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Photography. The basics. Focus Exposure Composition. - focused & unfocused areas of a photo -can be somewhat corrected (i.e. sharpening tools on computer to sharpen pixels) -unfocused areas in a photo are not always bad. A . Focus.
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The basics Focus Exposure Composition
-focused & unfocused areas of a photo -can be somewhat corrected (i.e. sharpening tools on computer to sharpen pixels) -unfocused areas in a photo are not always bad A. Focus
-amount of light which affects the SD card, film or paper (affected by aperture size and shutter speed) -overexposed or underexposed B. Exposure
- arrangement of elements within a photograph - you need this to create a photograph rather than a snapshot C. Composition
Photographic tips: Obvious but important pointers to taking good photos!
Identify the Centre of Interest in your Photograph - ask yourself, “What is the most important part of my composition?” Choose a Centre of Interest!
“Less is More” attractive • Centre of Interest becomes more clearly defined • Consider shooting a series of photos rather than fitting everything into a single photo Keep it simple!
Move Closer to the Subject Matter • Minimizes any unnecessary negative space • Eliminates any possible distracting background Get Closer!
Horizontal view (also known as landscape view) • Vertical view (also known as portrait view) Turn your camera!
Posed: subject is aware of photo being taken • Candid: unposed subject, going about his/her activity without being interrupted, not looking at photographer • Can create different moods within your composition. Posed or Candid!
POINT OF VIEW: • Bird’s Eye View • Worm’s Eye View • Extreme Close-Up LIGHTING: • Front Lighting • Back Lighting • Side Lighting COMPOSITION: • Overlapping Subject • Leading Lines • Natural Border • Selective Focusing • Rule of Thirds / Spiral Composition • Repetitive Patterns (Regular or Irregular) COMPOSITIONAL STRATEGIES:
Point of view: How do you frame your subject in the photo?
Photo is taken from ABOVE the subject (looking down) 1. Bird’s Eye View
Photo is taken from BELOW the subject (looking up) 2. Worm’s Eye View
Get close to your subject and don’t be afraid to crop (cut out parts of your subject). • Eliminate unnecessary distraction. 3. Extreme Close-Up
Lighting: How do you “shed light” on your subject?
In most cases, a camera’s flash can only travel 1 metre • Consider the distance of the COI in relation to your camera in order for the flash to be effective • Consider other ways of ‘lighting up a scene’ • Consider the various options you have when using a flash • Lighting can create a mood within your photo A Flash or no Flash?
Light source is behind the photographer & shining directly on the subject • Gives your subject a flat appearance eliminating texture 4. Front Lighting
Light source is coming from the side of your subject • Helps define shapes & forms within a photograph 5. Side Lighting
Lighting subject from behind. • This creates a silhouette effect. 6. Back Lighting
Composition: How do you arrange things within your photo?
Creates perspective and depth within composition 7. Overlapping Subject
Leads the viewer’s eye toward the centre of interest 8. Leading Lines
Leads the viewer’s eye toward the centre of interest • Natural frame should not distract from COI • Simple forms or unfocused objects work best 9. Natural Frame
Unfocused areas within a Photograph can be a good thing to draw attention to the COI • Unfocused areas may represent movement/speed within a composition 10. Selective Focusing
Assists in moving the centre of interest away from the middle of the photograph • Can create a more interesting composition 11. Rule of Thirds
Assists in moving the centre of interest away from the middle of the photograph • Can create a more interesting composition 11. Spiral Composition
Such as rectangles, squares & triangles lend to the composition since they interact with the rectangular photo frame • Can also be used as natural border 12. Regular Patterns
If pattern & repetition is obvious within the composition, photographers can use them to draw attention to Centre of Interest 12. Irregular Patterns
Some final pointers… • ANYTHING can be photographed to create a good or bad photo. • The Centre of Interest DOES NOT need to be in the centre of the photograph. • Subject matter in your photo is LESS IMPORTANT than the composition you create. • Watch for good photographic opportunities in the most unlikely places.