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09/23/2003 09:06:55 PM · #1 |
Im taking a basic 35mm B&W photo class in college and my teacher handed this out to everyone. Just thought Id share
1. THINK about your photography before doing it. Most everything is done better with a little forethought. Approach, technique, equipment, even individual shots should be thought out in advance of a situation.
2. Use as much of the frame as practical. When looking through the viewfinder, run your eye around and put some effort into looking at the subject and its relationship with the edge of the frame. Is the background cluttered? Is there a pole or something distracting coming out of your subjects head? Beware of always centering everything and wasting space in the frame. "The frame creates a world and photography is about that world."-- Gary Winnogrand
3. Combining 1 and 2 realize that you sometimes can't expect good results if you don't have the tools to get them. You would not shoot most sports with less than a 200mm lens for example, or a portrait with normal focal length if you know they require other focal lengths. If you have a zoom, try various settings to frame subj ect.
4. Have your subjects, whether mountains or people, face the light. Seems obvious, but most beginners don't pay attention to the direction of the light; pros always do.
5. Use enough film! Film is about the cheapest thing in the production of photographs, yet most amateurs are satisfied with using so little of it that they often don't get the photo they want. Pros win here in that they almost always shoot more than enough, with the idea of editing later. "It takes a lot of milk to make a little cheese!" --Cartier-Bresson
6. GET CLOSER! Most beginners have their main subject in only a small portion of the frame making them seem insignificant. Take a few steps closer or use a longer focal length lens. "If your pictures aren't good enough, your not close enough" --Robert Capa
7. Photograph people! They are infinitely more interesting that the potted plants, dogs, and backyards we are so tired of seeing.
8. No pictures of cats!
9. Use contrast to your advantage. Put light things on dark backgrounds, and dark things on light backgrounds to make them stand out.
10. Change your perspective. 99% of all photographs are taken from head height with 1/3 of the image above the horizon and 2/3 below the horizon. BORING! Try looking up from down below, or down from up high, or pretend your view is that of a 3 year old, or that of Shaq. Shake it up!
11. Bracket your exposure. You can make an acceptable image from many kinds of negs, but it takes the correct exposure to make your prints sing. If you know you have a great image, bracket your target exposure in 1/2 stop increments up and down to make sure you get the best exposure.
12. DON'T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT - YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAR TO GO UNTIL YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR.
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09/23/2003 09:16:44 PM · #2 |
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09/23/2003 09:24:34 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by BabyHeads:
Number 8. LMAO! |
Why does everyone hate pictures of cats soooo much? My cat happens to be quite photogenic! :p
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09/23/2003 09:28:21 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by Shannon:
Originally posted by BabyHeads:
Number 8. LMAO! |
Why does everyone hate pictures of cats soooo much? My cat happens to be quite photogenic! :p |
It's easier to spell than Flowers? |
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09/23/2003 10:05:18 PM · #5 |
| We don't hate cats,cats hate humans! |
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09/24/2003 01:50:37 AM · #6 |
My teacher says theres nothing wrong with cat photos....
they are just way overdone.
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09/24/2003 01:59:54 AM · #7 |
Overdone is only in the eye of the photographer.
T
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09/24/2003 02:10:53 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by Shannon:
[quote=BabyHeads]Number 8. LMAO! |
Why does everyone hate pictures of cats soooo much? My cat happens to be quite photogenic! :p
I agree My cats are my best models
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09/24/2003 02:32:27 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by timj351:
Overdone is only in the eye of the photographer.
T |
Now I've never seen a cat photo by Tim, by Imma guess if he DID take one, it would rock.
Pedro |
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09/24/2003 02:35:53 AM · #10 |
"4. Have your subjects, whether mountains or people, face the light. Seems obvious, but most beginners don't pay attention to the direction of the light; pros always do."
Easily misunderstood advice, and quite often wrong too. How about 'almost never photograph from exactly the same direction as the light'?
Ed
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09/24/2003 03:15:51 AM · #11 |
Given backlit subjects are nice to photograph but for beginners just taking a photo with a backlit subject and not compensating for your meter reading is going to give you a really bad underexposed shot. You have to remember that this is for a basic photography course.
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09/24/2003 11:04:50 AM · #12 |
i like cats, and their pictures :)
heheh....
good read tho, thanks for posting that
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09/24/2003 11:10:45 AM · #13 |
#8 should read no pictures of spiders
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09/24/2003 11:51:10 AM · #14 |
Originally posted by e301:
"4. Have your subjects, whether mountains or people, face the light. Seems obvious, but most beginners don't pay attention to the direction of the light; pros always do."
Easily misunderstood advice, and quite often wrong too. How about 'almost never photograph from exactly the same direction as the light'?
Ed |
And, two of my favorite photographs were taken facing the sun. Mt. Baker
And this,
Skagit Valley Tulips
Item 12 says it all, after listing all of the dos and don'ts, it is giving permission to break the rules and experiment.
Thank you Byetko for posting this. The more we see lists on how to improve our work, the more they become automatic when we are out shooting. Just remember item 12!
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09/24/2003 11:56:01 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by timj351:
Overdone is only in the eye of the photographer.
T |
I think the problem is more that they are often done, in much the same way that photos of children are done, by people who have too much eomtional attachment to the subject to be able evaulate if its a good photo or not. So we get lots of bad pictures of much loved subjects, that have no real interest to anyone else causing this large disconnect in evaluation of the merit of the shot.
"Its a bad photo. - cute cat maybe, but bad photo."
"But its of my darling cat - how could they not love it like I do."
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09/24/2003 12:42:57 PM · #16 |
Great list, good short guidelines. Must agree with the 8th one too, 30+ cat photos in one challenge is a bit too much for me. Must admit though, there are 2-3 very nice cat shots there. Same goes for dogs.
Tyrkinn |
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09/24/2003 12:59:46 PM · #17 |
nice list. everyone should print it out and tack it up and refer to it :) ..
regarding the cats point: i think it would be more useful if it said 'try to see or show common subjects in new or different ways', and didn't just pick on cats.
any common subject can be cool if it's done well and with freshness of approach - even cats.
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09/25/2003 10:56:58 PM · #18 |
I love cats. Anyone care to trade recipes?
But seriously, I second what magnetic said. There are some nice cat pictures in the At Rest challenge but looking at so many of them makes you a little jaded perhaps. |
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10/11/2003 08:17:29 PM · #19 |
I like the concept of visualization. Try to figure out what you're seeking to achieve, then decide if your photographic choices are going to help you realise that goal. Eventually you should get to the point where there are no 'surprises'.
I don't take more photos than I do take.
Message edited by author 2003-10-11 20:19:44.
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10/11/2003 09:00:40 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by byetko:
10. Change your perspective. 99% of all photographs are taken from head height with 1/3 of the image above the horizon and 2/3 below the horizon. BORING! Try looking up from down below, or down from up high, or pretend your view is that of a 3 year old, or that of Shaq. Shake it up! |
I learned this rule from my daughter just last summer. I gave her the camera and let her snap a few photos. Being only 4 years old, her perspective is obviously from a much lower level. Here is one of her photos of my father and other daughter.
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=41825
When I downloaded the pics, I was quite suprised by the effect of the change of perspective. It's also quite interesting to get a glimps of what her 'world' looks like.
PS: Before you comment that the lighting is off and the image is slanted, remember, SHE IS 4!!! ;) |
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10/11/2003 09:27:36 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by Trinch:
Being only 4 years old, her perspective is obviously from a much lower level. Here is one of her photos of my father and other daughter.
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=41825
...quite interesting to get a glimps of what her 'world' looks like.
PS: Before you comment that the lighting is off and the image is slanted, remember, SHE IS 4!!! ;) |
Why aren't you teaching her how to crop and rotate in post-processing? Most of the time (for expediency) I work the mouse, but Isaac usually tells me how to position the cropping box himself.
Message edited by author 2003-10-11 21:28:08. |
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10/11/2003 11:46:51 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Why aren't you teaching her how to crop and rotate in post-processing? Most of the time (for expediency) I work the mouse, but Isaac usually tells me how to position the cropping box himself. |
I am impressed General. Honestly, I haven't given it much thought. She really hasn't taken a large interest in photography yet, but there is no time like the present to introduce her. The photo I uploaded had just been sitting on my hard drive. I probably would have forgotten about it had it not been for the 10th rule. It just rang a bell and reminded me of her picture.
EDIT: Is this better? ;)
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=41840
Message edited by author 2003-10-11 23:50:04. |
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