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08/16/2004 01:20:52 PM · #1 |
Some people seem to have a knack to take effortlessly framed shots that appear to be borderless. I would like to get some thoughts on this subject from anyone who would like to comment.
Even outside of the challenges, do most people think of the shot first or compose based upon subject matter that presents itself in front of them? I often find that I have mood, lighting, and even occasionally follow or break the rule of thirds, but I would like people to take me through their thoughts on "framing a shot" from the time the camera is on through the exposure.
I am not looking for a tutorial, just a few different approaches to framing the shot-and coming up with the best possible compositions for everyday life that don't look so snapshotty.
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08/16/2004 01:24:32 PM · #2 |
| I'm getting better at this myself but removing clutter from a picture is one of the most important things to getting a shot to look less "snap-shotty" I'm by no means a master at it. I take my pictures based on subject matter and whats around in the environment. |
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08/16/2004 01:30:07 PM · #3 |
I find myself moving around as though im holding a movie camera...looking through the veiwfinder to find the perspective before i take a photo. You cant see it the same with your naked eye. Every lens has a different perspective. A perspective shifting and changing from every angle..high to low to sideways to upside down. Once I have my subject...I then move around and try shots from different angles until I feel Ive got the angle and perspective that best suits the subject...or the mood...or the visual appeal...or the composition...or whatever. Doesnt mean its good...its just the way i do it. I consider all of my pictures snapshots...actually. Hopefully appealing or interesting snapshots...but snapshots none the less.
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08/16/2004 01:37:02 PM · #4 |
FIRST - Decide exactly why you are making this image. Then, REMOVE everthing from the frame that doesn't tell the story, evoke the emotion, or create the illusion.
Once you've done that - try these steps:
1) Use a tripod. (if possible.)
2) Compose the image in the view finder (with only the appropriate items above.)
3) Walk away.
4) Look again. (Repeat as 2-4 as necessary)
5) Do a "border patrol" - that is see if there is anything such as a hot spot on the edge, or a cut-off "anything."
6) Make any adjustments to the composition.
7) Stop down and look through the DoF preview to look for any hot spots.
8) Adjust lighting if necessay.
9) Shoot the shot, bracketing for exposure and or apeture if you like.
The process of making the image should be several minutes most of the time.
I know this is a very simplistic "checklist type" approach - but it works until it becomes instinct. One of my early photo instructors put it in a much simpler way, "Shoot every 35mm shot as if you are shooting in using a 4x5 view camera. Follow the same steps."
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08/16/2004 01:38:15 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by grigrigirl:
I find myself moving around as though im holding a movie camera...looking through the veiwfinder to find the perspective before i take a photo. You cant see it the same with your naked eye. Every lens has a different perspective. A perspective shifting and changing from every angle..high to low to sideways to upside down. Once I have my subject...I then move around and try shots from different angles until I feel Ive got the angle and perspective that best suits the subject...or the mood...or the visual appeal...or the composition...or whatever. Doesnt mean its good...its just the way i do it. I consider all of my pictures snapshots...actually. Hopefully appealing or interesting snapshots...but snapshots none the less. |
Yep, I tend to follow the same procedure when taking a photo. And the last statement is true, all photos are snapshots...a snapshot of time and place. |
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08/16/2004 02:07:51 PM · #6 |
I think good composition is more a matter of habit than some of these posts imply.
As with all good habits, the only true way to ingrain them in yourself is to practice practice practice.
Most rules are actually there to aid the analysis of photographs rather than the creation of photographs.
For me, it is about weight. As I compose my shots, or as I crop those I've taken home, I consider the impact of the image in a slightly out-of-tune mental state: thinking too hard and precisely about it will result only in a too precise and inhuman photograph. One relies on all the hours of practice to help get it right. If your eye is drawn through an image, and yet effortlessly remains inside the image's world, the probably there will be a good distribution of weight through the image - I mean weight in a sene of impact - impact of large areas of shapes, of colours, of parallels of form throughout the frame, of rhythm. Just like a really good live mix of a band: nothing should dominate the rest to exclusion, but you should know exactly what you're supposed to be listening to.
E
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08/16/2004 02:15:30 PM · #7 |
I have been told that my strength, such as I have any (and it's probably not evidenced by my DPC entries!) is in "seeing" the strongest composition naturally.
I don't plan the composition in advance so much as find myself attracted to scenes or items that present opportunities for one or more strong image.
I tend to like to assymetrical compositions more than symmetrical ones but other than that there isn't one rule I follow more than others.
Whilst those of my own images that I'm proudes of do seem to follow many of the "rules" such as Thirds, Framing and so on I don't tend to think of these consciously when taking the image; I just look through the viewfinder, move it about a bit until what I see "looks right".
I also tend not to think only of the camera's aspect ratio when taking them - sometimes I'll see something and think it would work well as a square composition or a panoramic or whatever and will take it with an intention to crop it when I get home.
That's not to say I don't see additional compositions within the frames I take once I see the image - and crop them differently to my original intention. But that doesn't happen as often as taking the composition I want in the first place.
I guess I'm no bloody help at all really. Sorry!
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08/16/2004 02:20:25 PM · #8 |
| this won't help you, but i pretty much stick to the rule of thirds unless I'm doing macros of bugs .... then i put them dead center and crop later (i do this mostly because i want the sharpest part of the lens to take the photo of the subject ... most lenses get at least a little softer as you go to the outside). |
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08/16/2004 02:32:04 PM · #9 |
| See the Angel in the marble, and set him free :) |
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08/16/2004 03:12:00 PM · #10 |
ΓΆ€ΒΆ As with most things in life, aptness of purpose is probably a good first thing to have in mind. To me, aptness of purpose relates beauty.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Our perceptions are old. I need to constantly rediscover laws of nature, because I can, apparently, only remember those things I have actively been involved in.
ΓΆ€ΒΆ Balance, emphasis, proximity, similarity, visual and physical weight, manner and idiosynchracy, hierarchy, direction and unity are some of the mainstays of composition I consider. Most of what I (in the end) apply appears to have been filtered down to me via intuition however. My intellect (or the little I've been blessed with) appears to have a minimal function (checking against knowns) in the process.
Message edited by author 2004-08-16 15:12:37.
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08/16/2004 04:06:19 PM · #11 |
| I appreciate the time taken to answer my questions. I have lots of different things to ponder now. |
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08/16/2004 04:07:42 PM · #12 |
i'm kind of straight forward when it comes to composing a shot - i don't typically crop if i can avoid it, but try to previsualize what i am shooting, and then frame the shot accordingly. once i have the previsual done, and a subject to shoot - i'll shoot different angles, than what i preconceived, to see if i like those better.
i will crop if my equipment won't let me get close enough to let me frame how i'd like, but even then if i have to crop more than 25% out it's got to be something very intriguing for me to move any further with it.
i typically use the rule of thirds in a sdrawkcab sense. centering the subject, and letting the surroundings break up the image into thirds. although not always.
you also have to know how the equipment works, how much is going to be in focus, can a poor background be blurred into oblivion to make it go away. will your equipment let you compse the shot your after.
just a couple thoughts
Message edited by author 2004-08-16 16:08:03.
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08/16/2004 04:25:35 PM · #13 |
I tend to look for patterns or strong visuals as I'm hiking through an area. When I see something I find visually striking I'll try to isolate the noise from the subject via my point of view, depth of field, and exposure. I'll also try to translate the emotion of a moment into its photographic equivalent. For example, a damp and misty morning in a forest I'll try to expose more for the shadows than the highlights.
I think the more direct answer to your question is that I let the pictures find me. Once they find me, I do everything I can to capture the aesthtic reality in a way that conveys the subtleties which identified that picture to me.
Yikes. I hope that makes sense to someone other then me! Roughly translated: "Use The Force, Luke!"
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08/16/2004 04:30:03 PM · #14 |
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08/16/2004 04:38:39 PM · #15 |
An important aspect for me in composing is knowing what I want to say, or show. Know what the reason is that you're taking a picture of this scene. Once this aspect is clear in my head I have a better idea of how to carry it out, or know how I want to carry it out, which isn't always easy or possible.
In this respect, another important thing in composing is patience and allowing an image to come to you, or bubble up from your mind and not try to force things. When I"m out in the field, I'm always looking for things I find beautiful and also looking for beautiful light. Once I've found these things the rules of composition, or breaking them, will come much easier and you will know when to use which rule, or when they're to be broken. I also think that knowing your equipment, and knowing what's technically possible in digital photography will also aid in your composition because, for one, you won't have to think about the technical parts so much, as they will come second nature to you and you won't be missing shots, as timing can be an important part of capturing appealling and compelling images.
I have been developing an outline of some things to keep in mind to help me sort through all the impressions and images when I'm out in the field on location. I'll post it here and you're free to use it if you like.
I call it Pre-Processing the Picture:
I. Assessment ΓΆ€“ of the scene
a. What are the pictorial elements in the scene?
b. Is there a story?
c. What compositional elements exist? ( line, point, form, shape,color, tone, texture, pattern, converging lines)
d. What is the mood/emotion/atmosphere of the scene?
e. Light and shadows of scene?
II. Photographer's vision
a. What the photographer wants to convey in the image & how to express it.
b. Include which compositional/pictorial elements?
c. How to arrange the compositional/pictorial elements in the scene (cropping/framing, point-of-view, alignment).
d. Expressive vs. literal/representational image?
e. Define the subject.
f. Contrast vs. similarity
III. Practical & Technical ΓΆ€“ Settings
a. metering
b. exposure settings
c. chosen focal length
d. other settings (white balance, saturation, etc)
e. focus
f. flash
I invite anyone to add or subtract and expound/expand it.
I hope this helps. |
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08/16/2004 05:26:41 PM · #16 |
Composition is the artistical thing at photography. Only an humam eye can compose a shoot. All other things the a good automatic camera can do, not as well as you can do manually, but it does.
Well, then what is the magic? Why some shots are borring snapshots and why some are knew as fine art photography?
I guess that it has something related with the artist point of view. Why a painting of Picasso worth a little fortune? By the same equation!
People shoot almost at the same way... point and shoot. To do an artistic photo you need to put one more element: point, tought and shoot.
The Olyuzi's list is a great point to start to tought!
Message edited by author 2004-08-16 17:31:35. |
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