Blog 8 - Reflections

I love the sky's reflection in the pond - its hard to believe this pond is actually a very muddly brown colour but the light and subsequent sky reflection disguises the rather unattractive looking water. When composing this picture, I used the rule of thirds but on a sloping angle for an alternative approach - resulting in a very interesting picture.

This is a photo of a truck trunk with peeling bark. The photo was taken at Sunset and I have played with the colours in photoshop to enhance the glow lighting. I love the rich texture, colour and shadows in this piece and the different angle created by shooting in a birds eye position.

Whilst walking around the pond I discoverd this huge tuft of grass. I loved the symmetary of the grass and the contrasting colours within the grass. I also love the bold, heavy lines in the actual grass blades yet the brown dry seed blades are very delicate.

I discovered these green seed pods whilst at a park with my children. I loved their shape, colour, pattern and texture. They sort of remind me of prickly watermelons. I used the Macro settings on the DSLR and arranged on a bright dirt background for contrast. I have tweaked the colours in Photoshop and cropped the picture for a more narrower pictu to further enhance the seed pods. Whilst at the same park as above, I was able to capture this little scene of dead dock weed with a muddy pond in the background. I love how the colours compliment each other and the muted tones give a feeling of peace.

A closer shot of the dead Dock weed and I've played the colours up in Photoshop. I used the Macro camera settings hence one is able to note the detailed spider web on the dock weed.

This is a shot of a Conifer tree branch. The Macro setting was once again used and only the exposure was altered in Photoshop - the colours are as they were. I love the rigid structure of the leaves and the resulting pattern created.

Same as above, but different angle.

Blog 7 - SLR Len's Visual Explaination

Being a strong Visual and Kinaesthetic Learner, I was struggling to grasp the concept of how SLR len's work and therefore in various photography situations, where each lens was better suited. After reading several text based explanations I understood the basic principles but failed to understand how they all worked together. I came across the following two diagrams that really helped me understand how lens work and therefore the effects they can give you when structuring a photographic shot.

Blog 6 - Developing your photographic eye

I found the following articles very information in helping me develop my eye for photography. As a result of reading the following articles I'm seeing photographic lines everywhere - a row of tree's, the roof tops of various buildings in industrial sites, structures. By biggest frustration at present is the limited range of zoom with the 55mm lens.

ARTICLE 1:
The photographer's eye is probably his greatest asset, and if you are new to photography it should be one of the first things you learn to understand. Photographers are not born with a creative eye; your eye will develop within time, and in some cases it takes a great deal of time.
Time will vary among different individuals. It will all depend on the person's determination to become a great photographer, on the training, and how you apply your training.
Photographers should be trained to see things differently, and should be always on the lookout for objects and scenes that will look good on print. Training, colleges and photography tutors will only teach you so much; most of the creativity you develop will be due to your hard work and awareness of what is around you. But, regardless of this - there are always ways to develop your eye at a faster pace.
One method of making your eye more apt for photography is true constant visual inspection of other photographer's images. By browsing through magazines, websites and published work, you can see how photographers apply the tricks of the trade.
When viewing a photographers images study how he composed his shot. Also study how he used the elements of light and composition together. Study the shadows in each image to see where he placed his studio lights. If some of his images were taken outdoors shadows will still appear. Understanding light and composition is key to good imagery.
Another method is when you take images, compare them to images taken by well-known professionals. You need to be your own hardest critic. Do not be afraid to return to a scene and retake your shots. This will only make you better.
Buying photography magazines that are marketed for the amateur photographer will also be valuable. Some magazines will let you submit your shots for comment. Don't be afraid to do this. This is where you will get honest criticism about your photography.
If you are an amateur and just want to improve your family shots, or if your goal is to become a professional, your creative eye is so important. In spite of the camera you use and this applies to video photography too, constantly viewing images and taking photographs will lead to your eye becoming sharper.
TJ Tierney is an award winning photographer and a freelance writer. To find out more information visit his free photography and digital photography site. His site also contains a free photography competition.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=TJ_Tierney

TJ Tierney, "Developing your Photographic Eye", Ezine Articles, viewed 10th April 2010, http://ezinearticles.com/?Developing-Your-Photographic-Eye&id=979781



Article 2
An Eye for Compositionby © Gary W. StanleyVivid Light Photography
No matter where in this world we live the subject matter for photographers is for all practical purposes, never ending. We are limited only by our imagination and creative vision. I've related in the past the story of a well-known photographer who told his audience not to look at other photographers' work, but to develop their own style.
My comeback to that is pretty simple: how does one go about developing his or her own style, without something or someone else's work with which to compare it to? "You've certainly taught yourself a lot about the game of golf over the past few years Bob, now would you like to try using clubs?"
I believe that it is important to be able to visually see someone else's work, style and approach to photography, not to become a copycat of that specific style, but as an aid in developing your own style.
Perhaps you've learned some great landscape technique from David Muench, a great close-up idea from John Shaw, or how to use vivid colors in your images for impact from Pete Turner. Each idea gets logged into the brain, absorbing and remembering those points or styles that interest you the most. Then when you find yourself in a particular shooting situation, you draw upon that knowledge and apply it to your own images.
While I credit much of my success as a photographer to folks like John Shaw, Art Wolfe, David Muench and others, I've had to continually be willing to learn from others and from my own personal experiences.
Composition is one area of photography that begs for constant nourishment. I keep looking for new ideas and new subject matter with which to test my skills and creativity as a photographer. Sometimes I feel a little stale, and other times I'm "on the jazz" so to speak. It's those times when I'm on the jazz that I feel like a creative Superman and my excitement level for photography is so high.
In this article, I'll use some visual examples of basic and creative compositional techniques that I hope will stimulate your own creativity as well.
I'll assume that you have a good basic understanding of how your camera works, how to get correct exposure, the compositional rule of thirds, and the good basic compositional elements of line, shape, and texture. What I hope to do for you is stimulate your creative thought process by sharing my own thought process as I compose a shot.
What Lenses Do:
Remember first that your choice of lenses will play an important part in your composition and how the final image will look. Wide-angle lenses expand the apparent distance between objects, and a telephoto lens will compress the apparent distance between objects. Knowing this, you can choose your lens based on the compositional effect that you want.
Making Good Choices: One very important element in developing an eye for composition has to do with making good choices within your composition. First of all, I'm very big on finding a great foreground subject such as a big rock, an interesting tree or something similar to give the eye a point of entry into my composition. Your eyes will naturally see that subject, then, move across comfortably through the rest of the composition.
This foreground subject also helps to make the viewer feel as though he or she is right there seeing what I saw and experienced at that very moment. This adds a three-dimensional quality and great depth to your image, which of course is a technique used by many 4x5 shooters. Develop an awareness of what to include or exclude from your composition, with a mind for keeping your compositions simple.
Achieving Balance: There are a few basic approaches to this technique. You can have a very large dominant foreground with a complimenting background, such as a large rock framing or leading you to the smaller appearing lighthouse in the background. This tends to add drama or a unique quality to an often-photographed subject.
Or, you can balance the foreground and background subjects by keeping them similar in size. This technique is used when there is not an overpowering, dramatic subject, even though you find the overall scene pleasing. You can also build that drama or emotion in your photograph by looking for smaller foreground subjects that lead to that large dominant background such as when a stream gently leads your eye back to the much larger and more dominant mountains in the background.
The Compositional Rule of Thumb: There are of course many ways to compose your subject, but if you have a good understanding of how to use line, shape, or texture to your advantage, your compositions are far more likely to have impact than if you did not use them.
Lines: I use lines (usually diagonal lines) as a direct way of leading your eye from one point to another.
Using triangular lines will help you find your way back. One line leads your eye to the subject and the other brings your eye back to your starting point. I will also look for a good foreground subject and a diagonal line to lead your eye from one point to another.
S-Curves or Shapes: I use shapes as a more relaxed casual way to lead your eye through the composition. A road, a stream, or even the shape of the ground or grasses in front of you can do this very well.
Texture: I look for texture in my composition, because it can add depth and detail to the image. Texture is usually a direct by-product of side lighting. As the light from the sun comes across your image, it sheds light on one side and shadow on the other, thus creating texture and more interest than a flatly lit subject.
Depth of Field: You may have exercised any one of these standards of good composition, but if you failed to achieve adequate depth of field, your images may leave you dissatisfied. Unfortunately many of today's lenses lack a depth of field scale and/or depth of field preview buttons. One easy way to assure maximum depth in your photograph is use as small lens aperture such as f/16 or f/22 and then focus a third of the way into the scene. Not the actual physical distance of the closest object in your picture to the farthest, but a third of the way into your frame as you look through the viewfinder.
Use your depth-of-field preview button (if you have one) to stop the lens down to its taking aperture to visually check and see if everything looks sharp. Take your time and allow your eye to adjust to the darkened image in the viewfinder. A 'dark cloth' or coat can be handy to shield the sun as you look into the viewfinder. Depth-of-field and critical focus is very important to the finished image.
Another way to get maximum depth of field is to focus at your lens' hyper-focal distance which is what you're simulating by focusing 1/3rd of the way into the scene. For a complete explanation of hyper-focal distance and free hyperfocal charts for both film and digital formats see What is Hyperfocal Distance and Why Should I Care? in this issue.
Food for Thought: Finally, here are a few good review points to remember each time you compose an image.
1. Make sure your horizon line is level.
2. Look for distracting elements in your viewfinder that might take away for an otherwise excellent composition.
3. If you want sharp front-to-back detail, make sure you have enough depth of field.
4. Look for things in the composition that will allow you to use the basic design elements of line, shape, texture and form.
5. Look for good foreground subjects to add that three-dimensional look to the composition.
6. Finally, when photographing at the top of high cliffs or overhangs, don't step back to admire your work! Just checking if you're paying attention.
Give these few suggestions a try as you develop you own eye for composition.

Gary W. Stanley, "An Eye for Composition", Vivid Light Photography, viewed 10th April 2010, http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3504.htm

Bog 5

The angle of the tree and its branch almost suggests that it is trying to engulf the ruined house. I love the subtle colour palette and the various angles in this picture created by the house and tree branches. There is subtle element of eeriness about this house and could be further photography explored by playing with the contrast settings.

The old window opening lends itself as an effective border framing the overgrown shrubbery within the run down house. The dark shadows falling across the window coupled with the heavy shadows within the well lit shrubbery gives an eerily feeling and enhances the green of the shrubbery.

Blog 4

The contrast in colours and angels in this picture creates a interesting visual montague. The shadows within the scrube gives the picture more depth. This picture was taken in my backyard with a Nikon Camera (non- adjustable settings).










I love the balance and contract in this photo. The shape of the cloud seems to fit the empty space in the corner like a jigsaw piece puzzle. Upon closer inspection one can see the sun's reflection on the tree's branches thereby creating the only element of depth and perspective to the picture.




YAY - changing the settings on my Anti-virus software has obviouly fixed the problem, I can download photos.