Basic Composition #3 - Background

Back to the basics for a post... One of the most important considerations for your intentional photography is what is going on in the background. Busy backgrounds are subject killers.

This is where photography gets active. Much of the time, your subject will not place itself in front of a nice, clean background. Instead, you have to move the camera.

Here is a progression of photos to demonstrate what I mean.

The set-up... a group of guys practicing a song they will be performing in a church service later. There is a stained-glass window providing some nice light, and lots of clutter.

The snapshot...

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/200, iso320

At this point, I can tell that there is just too much clutter for a nice image. Billy is standing directly in front of that window though, which looks interesting. (of course, I also have to compensate for all of that light in order to get a good exposure on his face)

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/125, iso320

Ok, that is nice, but the glare is just too much!

If you look back at the snapshot, you can see a yellow bulletin board on the left. Big solid color backgrounds are always good... so I walk a few feet to the right to see how that looks.

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/160, iso320

Well, ok, but the yellow is just so.... yellow. Having Jimmy in the foreground is nice, some people interaction... this works.

As I stood there, I could see that if I moved all the way past Jimmy to my right, I could capture Billy in front of a dark wood door. That looked very promising.

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/320, iso320

Now that is what I like.. unique looking light, no distractions, just a nice shot. The only thing left to do was wait for a nice facial expression or look...

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/320, iso320

OK, now I'm a happy camper.

As you can see, the photographic results from the exact same shooting situation can really vary. The key ingredient is actively looking for ways to improve the photo, and making the effort to move around and take lots of shots to find out what really looks good.

Here is one more of BK at the piano, same light from the window, but converted to black and white.

Canon 5D, 70-200mm, f2.8, 1/200, iso320

Have a great week, and make lots of pictures!

don j

Basic Composition #2 - The Suggestion of Thirds

OK, so it is really called the "Rule of Thirds." Like any other so-called rule in the creative world, it is often broken just to make a creative statement.

With that in mind, remember that it is really a suggestion, and a very good way to think about composing your photos so that they move beyond snapshots.

Watch this for a professional explanation...


OK, that was a lot of quick information..

Basically, you want to put your subject somewhere other than dead center of the picture. That is the quick and easy snapshot, but not usually a photo that holds interest. Second to that, you want the other elements of the photo to create lines that lead your eye to the subject and create interest.

As cute as our dog Nina is, I really wish this photo was framed with more room in front of her nose, and with her somewhere off to the left instead of dead center. Definitely should have been horizontal.

Canon 40D, 17-85mm, f5.6, 1/60, iso100

Again, the photo is all about accentuating the subject.

If the subject is a face, then it is usually the eyes that are the focal point and should be part of the rule of thirds. Putting the eyes out of the center (and in focus) brings life to the face, and visual interest to the photo.

Canon 40D, 50mm, f1.8, 1/60, iso200

When composing for people, animals or anything with a face, it is important to consider where the subject is looking. In the video the guy calls it "look-off room." Basically, you need space in front of the subjects face, preferably across the frame of the picture. Otherwise, the subject is peering off the edge of the picture.

Just getting an expression is difficult enough with kids and pets... I wish I had more room to the left on this one. Even with fun lighting, my brain wants some "look-off room" over there.

Canon 40D, 17-85mm, f11, 1/250, iso200

It generally also good to leave space in front of a moving subject in the photo. Again, your brain wants a place for the movement to go, and if it goes out of the frame, it is harder to make sense of.
Where is that tongue going anyway?

Canon 40D, 17-85mm, f5.6, 1/60, iso200, Flash


OK, enough of that. Rules are meant to be broken, right? Well, sort of.

Just consider that these compositional elements are what can make a photo better than the snapshot that you were about to take. Move the subject over and give it room. With this move toward intentional photos, you are are taking control and making images that will have a better chance of looking good.

Canon 40D, 17-85mm, f5.6, 1/200, iso320

Final thought, especially with dog pictures....

Don't throw the doggie treat too close to the camera!

don j

Basic Composition #1- Know Your Subject

Have you ever had the experience of looking back through photos from a trip and finding some that you aren't really sure where you took them or what they are of?

I hope that isn't just me.

Sometimes it is the simplest thing that escapes your brain when taking a photo... the subject. Of course, when you are standing there with a camera, your mind has already taken in the context of what is going on. What gets captured in the image however, may not really bring back the feelings or experience of where you were that inspired you to get the camera out. This is also what makes vacation slide shows so boring for people who weren't there. If the photos aren't bringing back your feelings, they are really dead to people who have no internal reference to where they were taken.

What is this a snapshot of? Bus? Cars? Fountain? Building? Did something happen here?

Kodak v530, Auto, f3.8, 1/160, no flash, iso80

Actually, I was trying to get the parking lot full of Mercedes, Porsches etc. but failed miserably.

The first thing to consider when taking intentional photos is "What is the subject?" The rest of the why, when, where and how revolve around being able to figure out what the picture is about. If the picture doesn't have a defined subject (or subjects), it becomes more difficult to comprehend. It makes less sense as a photo and more sense as abstract art. Nothing wrong with that, just know what you are going for.

After deciding what the subject really is, the fun creative part can begin... putting that subject in a context that gives it meaning and feeling.

This is a bit better... still a snapshot, but at least we have something to look at. This was in 2005, before the Smart cars were being sold in the U.S.A. It made her Mini look quite spacious.
Kodak v530, Auto, f2.8, 1/100, iso125, flash on

I will write about separating foreground, middle and background later, but in thinking about the subject, you can also be intentional about where it is in the photo, and how it relates to whatever else you put in the frame. Too many unrelated details and you just get clutter, to few details and you leave unanswered questions when someone looks at the photo.

A little thought went into the composition here, with the car in the foreground, artist renderings on the wall and engines in the background... hopefully it gives a sense of place to the subject, which is the Ferrari Enzo.

Kodak v530, Auto, f2.8, 1/60, iso125, flash on

Yes I enjoy shooting pictures of cars, especially Ferraris.

When you have the camera in your hand, it is easy to assume that what you are seeing is what the picture will be. In reality, the resulting image is a small, two-dimensional, visual-only reminder of what you were looking at. Making sure that you know what you are trying to capture is the first step to creating an image that can take you back to that place, and even let other people experience it as well.

Please note also that I am not saying to stop shooting snapshots. Sometimes they turn out great, or that is all the time you have to capture a moment. When you do have a moment to consider the shot, all the better. The practice of intentionally selecting a subject will gradually become habit and the snapshots will get better too.

don j.

Making Pictures vs. Taking Pictures

What matters most when you are trying to get a good picture? The camera? The light? The subject? Color?

How about the mind of the photographer?

If you want to make better pictures, the first thing I can recommend is to consider your active participation in the process.

I tend to break my photos into two categories...

Snapshots

Let's say it is birthday party time, you want some photos to document the festivities and maybe something for the scrapbook. No problem, pull out the camera and blast anything that moves! If you take enough pictures, some of them will probably be fine, you will get everyone, and at the end of the day you will have a lot to look at. Nothing wrong with that, and it is easy! Unfortunately, this is what we do most and end up with positively average pictures most of the time.

This is definitely a snapshot. No thought about the distractions on the table or decapitating people in the background (sorry Julie), and overall just not a nice photo.

Canon 40D, EF-S 17-85, f4.5, 1/60, iso400, built in flash

Intentional Pictures

When taking snapshots, there are sometimes those wonderful little surprises, pictures that I really like. Taking the next step to intentional photography makes that happen a lot more often! As with most situations, it is usually wise to avoid the tendency to "shoot first, ask questions later." It may be just as simple as waiting an extra second before taking the picture, changing angles, or zooming in a bit... but you will only know if you think first about what you are trying to get.

This is a little better than a snapshot... a little consideration about the light, and zoomed in enough to minimize background distractions somewhat.

Canon 40D, EF-S 17-85, f5, 1/60, iso 200, 580ex Flash bounced off ceiling

This sounds simple enough, but when you really start thinking about the picture before you take it tends to cause more questions than answers. Having that vision in your head prior to pushing the button also allows for failure when the picture turns out nothing like you thought. It is easy to go back to just snapping away mindlessly.

Like any exercise, it does get easier with practice and knowledge, which is what this is all about. We'll cover the details as we go along.

My favorite birthday cake shot last year...

Canon 5D, 70-200, f4.5, 1/45, iso 800, off camera flash to the left of the camera for just a little fill.

Don J