Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Alas...

Despite good intentions, I haven't been able to keep up with two blogs now that I'm running a real estate business.

I have been more intentional about sharing my 'sweet!'s on Long Hollow lately. I'm up to at least one post a month... sometimes one every two weeks.
Not where I want to be, but it's an improvement!

Maybe, in time, I'll be able to work "Confessions" back into my schedule, too.

I'm certainly not going to close the door on it.

But for now, please hop over to Long Hollow for my musings and photos, or to Your Austin Sweet Austin Home for all things regarding real estate. (Bear with the real estate blog - it's in the infant stage! That time thing!)

Thanks to all of you who followed along for so long.  I do intend to be back.


(Thanks to Jill and Jennifer, blog and photography friends, who contributed to this motivating collage on my office wall! I've been blessed to meet so many gifted and generous photographers and writers here.)

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

On Composition


A successful photo is one that evokes interest and compels the eye to linger awhile. It tells a story.

However, what we see with our eyes and what we capture with our camera are often two separate things. The problem is, our eyes see the world around us in 3-D. But photographs are two-dimensional - just one reason why they often fall short of the image we hoped to capture and share.


Photographer Edward Weston once said, "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." But with all due respect to Mr. Weston, if you take a few seconds to compose your shot before clicking, you'll have a better chance that others will see what caught your eye in the first place. And you'll save time in post-processing.

Composition is simply how your subject and other elements within the image frame are arranged and relate to each other. Learning how to compose a photo will not only help you tell the story, but will make it unique.  

In any good story, written or photographic, you need focus, tension, interest, depth, contrast. Elements that distract should be removed. Here are just a few ways to achieve those elements in your photograph, whether you shoot in automatic mode or manual...just remember there are always exceptions to any rule!




Focus 

What is drawing your eye to the scene? What is it you want to capture? That's what you focus on (your focal point) and if it's a person, specifically focus on the eyes.  If it's a group of people, focus on the one nearest to you. 






The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is probably the most common composition tool used. Imagine a Tic-Tac-Toe board placed on top of your image, dividing it into 9 equal sections. Now align the main elements of your photo along those lines, especially where they intersect, and poof! your photo is already more interesting because, according to scientists, the human eye is naturally drawn to a point 2/3 up a page.





This is very useful in landscapes or seascapes. Adjust the horizon, depending on whether the sky is more important or the land/sea.


Fill the Frame 

Try not to leave a lot of empty space. Your goal is to emphasize the subject and empty space is usually not empty, but full of distractions. (But if the setting is important, include enough to give a sense of place, proportion, or perspective.)






Subject Moves into the Frame

Make sure your subject is moving into or looking across the photo, not on the edge moving or looking out. You want to draw the eye into the photo, not away.






Perspective 

Try different angles. Walk around. Get down low or up high for interest and surprises. For pets or babies on the floor, try getting down on their level. Remember that your camera can take photos even if you're not looking through the viewfinder, so drop it down way low and snap a few. 








Check the Background

 Make sure there aren't branches or poles coming out of someone's head. Keep it simple - remove what doesn't add to or support the main subject. You can usually do this by changing angles.






Framing and Lines

Windows, doors, even leaves or tree branches will lead a viewer's eye to the subject, as will lines you find in roads and fences... or lifeguard shacks.






Depth

Because photographs are two-dimensional, it's up to us to convey the depth in a photo. You can do this by including objects in the foreground and background.






But...

Be ready to toss the rules, though, because they aren't really rules, just suggestions. Every photo tells its own story.





Art is about creativity, and with digital cameras, it's so easy to try something new. If it doesn't work, hit delete and try again. 

To learn more about composition, look at examples of photography you like.  Examine them and figure out what appeals to you.

But most of all, grab your camera and start clicking!



This post is part of BlogHer's Pro Photo Tips editorial series, made possible by Panasonic.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

iPhonography and Jill's Photo Parties!

I've seen some fabulous iPhone photos.
Unfortunately, they're not coming from my iPhone!

These from the Flat Creek Estate Bistro where I work aren't too bad...




(Not bad views, are they?)

But I discovered baby deer are much harder to capture.





Sigh.
Please share your tips and advice on iPhonography with me! 
Thank you!

But before you do that, hop over to Jillsy's Studio - she's been partying all month! 
And she even awarded me two "Life of the Party" awards, for this...

Day ends, night begins

and this...

Blue, at last

Thank you, Jill!
(Click on the badge below to see more Party Pics!)

Thursday, April 14, 2011

My Beautiful Grizzly Brother

Shocked. Awed. Flabbergasted.

It must be a joke. Or a mistake.

Those are the first feelings and thoughts that crossed my mind this morning when I found out Pioneer Woman chose my photograph of my sweet brother's grizzled face for Group 3 of her Brothers Photography Assignment.

But I shushed myself and just enjoyed the moment.

It's been nice. Very nice.

Thanks for seeing something in my photo, Pioneer Woman.

Thanks for letting me know it was chosen, Jillsy.

Thank you for my camera, Tom.

Thank you for having such a wonderful, grizzly, character-filled face, Donnie...


And for being such a sweet big brother.

I love you!

Happy birthday this Sunday!

(To see why he looked so grizzly, even for him, click HERE.)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Photography Rock Star - Scott Linstead

I'll admit it right now - this post is a copycat from my friend, Jillsy. Yesterday she posted the following photo by photographer Scott Linstead. (To see Jillsy's original post, click here: Jillsy Girl  It's worth it... she gives extra information on both Scott and chameleons. Very interesting!)



Seeing photos like this make a beginning photographer like me want to hang up the camera!

(Nah, not really. My addiction is stronger than that. I'll keep snapping away, just happy to get a little better every day. I'll post more of my own photos this weekend.)

To see more of Scott's work, click here: Scott Linstead