MAKING IT INTERESTING...

Photographs of People

Photo by Peter Skinner

In photographing a person, it can be effective to capture an expression of their mood, personality or way of life. It may look interesting.  It is also essential to capture a particular expression on a face. Show them in familiar surroundings such as their home or workplace.

Creating an impact

It is important to choose a subject that will grab people’s attention and make them look at it. To achieve this, one way is to photograph something that has very strong contrasts of light and shadow. it can instantly make your photo dramatic. one way to maximize this effect is when the light is behind you or the sunlight is at the back when you are taking a picture.

Photo by Boudewijn Berends

Photo by Eddy Van 3000

Action shots also create immediate impact by freezing a dramatic moment, such as a sporting action. It shows sense of excitement and movement.Most of the people don't have access to the kind of technology that photographers or photojournalists use for action or sports photography, but it is still possible to create pleasing photographs.

Timing is tricky and complicated whenever we photograph something. to avoid this kind of problem, try to anticipate an event or action that you wanna capture and take lots of shots. As they say "it's about being in the right place at the right time".

Photo by Salomon Kalou

Photo by Bob Martin

*TIP: Take lots of pictures at one session.

It is effective to take lots of different views of the same subject. By that, we can likely get some shots that are pleasing.It is also a good idea to think about what you want to convey in a finished picture before taking the photograph. Then choose the best position to take the picture. Also: the lighting, background and composition are to be considered.

source: USBORNE GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY

USING LIGHT

Lighting is an essential creative element of composition. Make the best use of whatever light is available. 

In terms of lighting in photography, exposure is one of the things to be considered. It is a matter of letting light into the camera. It is the amount of light controlled by the aperture (lens opening) and the shutter. 

If the aperture is too large and the shutter is open for too long, the picture will look pale and overexposed. 

Overexposed photo, from Steve's Digicams

If the aperture is too small and the shutter is open for a short time, the picture will be underexposed. 

Underexposed photo, from Steve's Digicams

There are three basic LIGHTING ANGLES:

The front lighting which is effective for buildings or landscapes. Although, it tends to obscure details and make the things in a picture area look rather flat; 

Side Lighting_ photo from Icon Photography School

The side lighting can be the most flattering angle for portrait shots like the picture on the right  facial shadows will be more interesting.

*Shadows; which increase the appearance of perspective, shows up details and textures.




The back lighting is effective for dramatic pictures like sunrises and sunsets.
 

Light at different times of the day:

Light outdoor varies according to the time of the day.

There are strong differences in the colours, shadows and atmosphere according to the position of the sun.

Early Morning: misty, diffused light and hazy shadows.

Midday: harsh light; gives strong colours and short shadows.

Late Afternoon: yellowish light, long shadows.

 *the horizon can also be used to emphasize the most interesting aspects of the scene.

BASIC SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED…

Photography is complicated. Colleges and Universities even offer degrees in it. However, one good thing about photography is that you don’t have to know all about it and you don’t even need fancy pro camera to create pleasing photographs. You can make nice pictures even with a point-and-shoot camera as long as you know the basics.

What really makes a photograph pleasing?

There are photographic techniques that can be essential in producing quality photographs. The most common techniques are Photographic Composition, Center of interest, Subject placement, Simplicity, Viewpoint and camera angle, Balance.

Photographic Composition is the arrangement of the things that will appear in the photograph.  It helps a picture look attractive and striking. 

David Webb's Beautiful Northumbria

-Center of interest is the principal idea. The minor elements of the photo should complement the center of interest. This will help the viewers to quickly understand the picture.

 -Subject Placement. This is the technique of placing the center of interest in the best position. In photographic composition, there are two general guides for subject placement

The first is the Rule of Thirds where we divide the picture area into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, and the intersections of the imaginary lines is where the center of interest should be placed as shown in the following example.

Photo by by Marlene Hielema

By this, we can create balance to the composition.

The other one is the Dynamic Symmetry, imagining a diagonal line from one corner to an opposite corner. Then, a second line perpendicular to the first from a third corner (shown in the figure at the left). The intersection of the lines is the location for the center of interest.

-Simplicity must also be considered. The simpler and more direct a picture is, the clearer and stronger is the resulting statement. 

-Viewpoint and camera angle. Repositioning the subject within the viewfinder frame and changing the camera viewpoint or camera angle are two simple ways of controlling composition. To add drama and excitement, photographing from a different  angle can also be considered:

Eye level shot by Julian W.

high angle shot of London by Cougar-Studio

low angle shot winner, photo by Daniel Locurcio

-Balance is a matter of making pictures look harmonious. Each of the elements in a picture should have a certain amount of value in respect to all the other elements.

There are plenty other important elements in photographic composition that if  properly used, can create a desired effect.