Friday's Tip

Tip 21:

Identify a focus interest; use 'Rule of Thirds'

Bhupinder Ghatahora
Ghatahora Photography

info@ghatahora.co.uk
www.ghatahora.co.uk
@Ghatahora
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Taking Better Photos Tip 21

Tip 21:

Identify a focus interest; use 'Rule of Thirds'

A detailed article on 'Rule Of Thirds' to follow soon

Bhupinder Ghatahora
Ghatahora Photography

info@ghatahora.co.uk
www.ghatahora.co.uk
@Ghatahora
Facebook
Pinterest
Flickr
Instagram

Composition - 02.09.0215

Composition can be a tricky subject to understand.

Here are a few simple composition tips to keep in mind when taking photographs.

These tips will help you improve your photography and it will also make you think about your image before you press the shutter release.

• Basic Triangles:

Look for the basic triangles in your scene, these triangles will be formed naturally by the shapes in the environment or structures.

• Enhance the detail:

Move closer to the subject; create a tighter crop to enhance the detail and add impact.

The photograph below shows the lady standing in a park and it does not add impact to the image.

By zooming in or moving closer to the subject creating a tighter crop, adds impact to the portrait (see below). The crop emphasis on the model's face, her make-up and her eyes.

• Use Selective focus:

Use a wider aperture (f2.8 orf5.6) to blur the background. This will isolate the main subject from the background.

• Change your View Point:

It is always best to take a little more time with your photography, especially in finding the most interesting view. Look around and find a different spot to shoot from than the one just in front of you: take a walk down paths, look for new angles, this means getting down lower to the ground, finding a higher up vantage point to photograph from. Explore your scene and experiment with different viewpoints and you will find something magical.


I took this photograph, but was not happy as the green foliage on the bottom left corner looks messy. I decided to change my viewpoint.

I decided to point the camera down at the flower bud. The background is blurred, isolating the subject from its messy foliage.

• Leading Lines:

Include leading lines in your image. Look out for a natural lines leading to the subject. These could be a path, road, fence, etc.

• Organise Shapes:

Organise shapes to create a repeated pattern.

• Compose for Contrast:

Isolate the subject to create a contrast. Look out for subjects that 'stand-out' the most. Photograph these subjects by moving closer.

• Use Natural Frames:

Look out for doorways, tree arches, frames created naturally. Include these in your photographs.

• Use Rule of Third:

Use 'Rule of Third' as guide to frame the scene. Place the subject on the points where the vertical and horizontal lines meet.

• Watch your Horizon:

It’s best that before you take a photograph always look at the horizon on two points:

a)      Is the horizon straight? It is easier to have your horizon straight in the camera viewfinder before pressing the shutter release, saving time to straighten the image later in editing softwares.

      b)     Where to place the horizon? The ‘correct’ natural spot for a horizon is on either the top third line or the bottom line of the ‘rule of thirds’, rather than completely in the middle. In saying this, rules can be broken if you are completely sure that your image with the horizon is very striking.

(See diagram below for where to place the horizon)

Example of photograph showing the horizon on the 'Top Third' line.

Example of photograph showing the horizon on the 'Bottom Third' line.

• Be Creative:

Most importantly be creative and enjoy taking photographs.

I hope this brief insight into Composition assists you in taking better photographs.

Bhupinder Ghatahora

Ghatahora Photography

www.ghatahora.co.uk

info@ghatahora.co.uk

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https://www.facebook.com/GhatahoraPhotography

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Landscape Photography part 2

Landscape Photography part 1 can be found on the below link. 

http://ghatahoraphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/landscape-photography.html

Landscape photography Part 2

7) Include the Sky

Including the sky makes the photograph more interesting. Most landscapes images will have either a dominant foreground or sky. If you your image does not have one or the other, photograph can end up being boring. If the sky is bland, boring sky, overcast, do not include the sky in your image and place the horizon in the upper third of your shot. However your foreground has to interesting. On the other hand if the sky is filled lots of clouds and colours include it by placing the horizon lower third.


Clouds - horizon on lower third

Sunrise over Loach Lomond -  horizon on upper third

8)     Leading Lines

You may have asked yourself this question, ‘how can lead the viewer’s eye of into the image’?

Here is the answer; there are a number of ways of doing this.

• Include foreground
•  Blur the image to create a sense of movement
• Changing your view point
• Colours in the landscape: i.e. a field of poppies against the blue sky

Leading lines are one of the best ways into an image which lead the viewers into the photograph. Lines give an image depth, scale and can be a point of interest and create patterns in your image.

Below: Photograph taken at Lake Windmere, Lake District

The image below was taken by pointing the camera up at the top

 

9)     Capturing Movement

When most people think about landscapes they think of calm, peaceful and passive environments – however landscapes are rarely completely still and adding the movement creates the mood, drama, and create a point of interest.

Examples of movement in landscapes are:– moving trees, waves on a beach, water flowing over a waterfall, birds flying overhead, moving clouds, stars etc.

Capturing movement generally means a longer shutter speed, which means more light hitting your camera  sensor. For this reason you will need to use a small Aperture, use a Neutral Density or a Polarization filter or photograph your landscapes at the start or end of the day when there is less light.

Below: Zoomed while taking the photograph

Below: Waves, a faster shutter speed used to freeze the movement of the waves

Below: a close-up of a small waterfall by the road in Scotland. A slow shutter speed used to blur the movement of the water.

10)  Weather

A landscape can change dramatically depending on the weather conditions; choose the right time to photograph.

It’s great to get out on sunny days and photograph landscapes; however an overcast day that is threatening to rain may provide you with a much better opportunity to create an image with great atmosphere and mood.

Look out for storm clouds, mist, sun shining through dark skies, sunsets, sunrises etc. and work with the different elements rather than just waiting for the next clear blue sky day.

Sunrise over Loch Lomond

 

After the storm - Speia toned photograph of the beach after it had stopped raining

I hope this brief insight into Landscape Photography assists you in taking better Landscape photographs.

Bhupinder Ghatahora

Ghatahora Photography

www.ghatahora.co.uk

info@ghatahora.co.uk

https://twitter.com/Ghatahora

https://www.facebook.com/GhatahoraPhotography