jbr13
www.jbr.smugmug.com
While reading on another forum, someone posted a very interesting and common question.
"Here it is: How is it that some photographers can "see" a composition where others can't? And, are there any books or tutorials to help us with this?
Many of us come back from a photo session with one or two real keepers while others visiting the same place come back with fine art. I know it involves light, clouds, weather conditions, post processing, etc. but I'm talking about the ability to look at a scene and determine camera angle, composition and cropping to "see" something that many of us would completely miss."
So, after looking through some of the short but valued replies, one person gave a really great response. I thought it should be passed on over here too.
"Like everyone said, a lot of it is just personal exploration and trial and error. But, for the trail and error to be useful, you have to actively think. I've found, that when I take the time (it's rather second nature now), answering these literal questions will often make me realize how I can make something better... they may sound silly, but try it on a few of your images, and those that you find really striking, and maybe it'll help you too.
1. What are you shooting - literally, what is it in the scene that compelled you to take an image? Is your composition supporting that subject, or is it extraneous? Or do you need more components in the frame. What is special and unique about the scene you chose, and how can you emphasize it? (that last one is huge... there's always something special.. be it snow, sun, rain, wind, clear skies or cloudy skies, you just have to take advantage!)
2. Why are you shooting it - is there an emotional impact? is it to give a sense of the place? etc.
3. Where are you shooting it from - there are so many times I've recognized an area as having a lot of potential, but it wasn't until I'd walked all the way around or through it that I found the right spot.
4. When are you shooting it - you could very well be there at the wrong time of day or year, think about all the options, and how they effect the mood and feeling you want to convey
5. How are you shooting it - this is the technical stuff... aperture, shutter speed, focal length (compression, wide angle), filters, etc.
And lastly, and most importantly, what is the title of your image going to be? And to go deeper, what is the story that it's going to tell? If you can title an image before you take it, that's a very good indication to it being a good image.
The answers to all of these questions should work together, they should relate to each other. While the answers may or may not be interesting or useful, it's the processing of thinking about the answers that I've found really helpful in my own work.
Lastly, what makes a good image is contrast. Any kind of contrast: tonal, color, shape, emotional, subject matter, etc. Contrast, and the transitions it creates, are what keep the eye engaged. This of course assumes that other things like image balance are already in place, but those things, like rule of thirds, pos/neg space, I'm sure you're familiar with.
Yes, the process of finding a successful composition, for me, involves considering all those things, asking all those questions, and trying to answer them all as best I can.. every time. It's a very active process."
Hope this may be helpful and interesting to some.
"Here it is: How is it that some photographers can "see" a composition where others can't? And, are there any books or tutorials to help us with this?
Many of us come back from a photo session with one or two real keepers while others visiting the same place come back with fine art. I know it involves light, clouds, weather conditions, post processing, etc. but I'm talking about the ability to look at a scene and determine camera angle, composition and cropping to "see" something that many of us would completely miss."
So, after looking through some of the short but valued replies, one person gave a really great response. I thought it should be passed on over here too.
"Like everyone said, a lot of it is just personal exploration and trial and error. But, for the trail and error to be useful, you have to actively think. I've found, that when I take the time (it's rather second nature now), answering these literal questions will often make me realize how I can make something better... they may sound silly, but try it on a few of your images, and those that you find really striking, and maybe it'll help you too.
1. What are you shooting - literally, what is it in the scene that compelled you to take an image? Is your composition supporting that subject, or is it extraneous? Or do you need more components in the frame. What is special and unique about the scene you chose, and how can you emphasize it? (that last one is huge... there's always something special.. be it snow, sun, rain, wind, clear skies or cloudy skies, you just have to take advantage!)
2. Why are you shooting it - is there an emotional impact? is it to give a sense of the place? etc.
3. Where are you shooting it from - there are so many times I've recognized an area as having a lot of potential, but it wasn't until I'd walked all the way around or through it that I found the right spot.
4. When are you shooting it - you could very well be there at the wrong time of day or year, think about all the options, and how they effect the mood and feeling you want to convey
5. How are you shooting it - this is the technical stuff... aperture, shutter speed, focal length (compression, wide angle), filters, etc.
And lastly, and most importantly, what is the title of your image going to be? And to go deeper, what is the story that it's going to tell? If you can title an image before you take it, that's a very good indication to it being a good image.
The answers to all of these questions should work together, they should relate to each other. While the answers may or may not be interesting or useful, it's the processing of thinking about the answers that I've found really helpful in my own work.
Lastly, what makes a good image is contrast. Any kind of contrast: tonal, color, shape, emotional, subject matter, etc. Contrast, and the transitions it creates, are what keep the eye engaged. This of course assumes that other things like image balance are already in place, but those things, like rule of thirds, pos/neg space, I'm sure you're familiar with.
Yes, the process of finding a successful composition, for me, involves considering all those things, asking all those questions, and trying to answer them all as best I can.. every time. It's a very active process."
Hope this may be helpful and interesting to some.