Search results for: photography composition rule of thirds
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by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
These days, everyone has a camera right in their pocket. Smartphones have long been the go-to camera for quick photos of our friends, family, pets, and of course, ourselves. With features like portrait mode, users can simulate blurry backgrounds and isolate their subject for more eye-catching images. What else could you ever need? What if I told you that with the
by Rachel Leathe · Posted
Did you know that the first photograph ever taken was of a landscape?
“View from the Window at Le Gras” was captured by Nicéphore Niépce, in 1827. It features a very abstract view from Niépce’s window. Then, in 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre made history with his image of
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
When the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun, those on Earth are treated to one of nature’s greatest spectacles—a total solar eclipse. It is a phenomenon that almost every observer would like to capture in a photograph.
Due to the rarity of the event, the short duration in which to capture it, and the dynamic nature of the subject, it is one of those photographic opportunities that requires the proper gear, setup, planning, and practice.
Eclipse and solar
by Caleb Quanbeck · Posted
Getting close enough to wild animals is one of the greatest challenges a wildlife photographer faces. So how do you solve this problem? The way most wildlife photographers do is to buy a telephoto lens with as much reach as their wallet allows. Today, a fairly economical way to enter the realm of the super-telephoto lens has been via the family of very nice 150-600mm lenses from brands like Sigma and
by M. Brett Smith · Posted
Portrait photography, or portraiture, remains one of the most popular genres of photography today—and for good reason. Portraits are compelling; they are evocative. Portraits tell a story; they elicit an emotion. Shot correctly, a portrait can reveal the true essence of a person, who they are and what they feel. According to Godard, portraiture is tantamount to capturing the soul. About what other medium or form of expression could you say such a thing?
As with most genres of photography, portraiture is not beholden to any one specific
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Thirty? Really? Thirty questions for every photo? The title of this article might make you think there’s a burdensome checklist that must be completed every time you release the camera’s shutter.
There is not.
However, if you want to take your photography to new dimensions, this list of questions—some dealing with the physical act of the photograph and some dealing with the inner thoughts behind the image—might be just what you need to get your head, feet, or camera in the right place, to help make a good photograph great or a great photograph
by Allan Weitz · Posted
I’ll never forget the first time I looked through the viewfinder of a camera fitted with a 20mm ultra-wide-angle lens. Everything looked amazing and I blew several rolls of film shooting everything I saw along the way. Prior to using this “exotic” lens, I had never shot with anything wider than the 50mm normal that came with my first 35mm camera.
The sobering part came when I developed the film and started eyeballing the results of my first outing. In a word, they were underwhelming, but I kept at it until I figured out how to use ultra-wide-
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park is one of the most scenic overlooks on the entire planet. Because of its sheer beauty, it is difficult to walk away from it with a bad photograph. (I have always said that it is easier to make a beautiful photograph of something that is already beautiful than it is to make a beautiful photograph of something that is not beautiful.) And, almost every camera-armed tourist who drives out the end of the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41 comes away with a very similar photograph—similar to the one that Ansel
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One of the key elements to creating impactful images is knowing the principles of photography composition. Sony Artisan of Imagery Tony Gale returns for Part 3 of our Basics of Photography series to discuss how composition plays into the overall appeal of a photo. From portraits to still life to landscape, we will talk about some common techniques for placement within the frame, such as the rule of thirds and leading lines.
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
For many photographers, the lure of a machine is an addictive draw to the camera and lens. Airplanes, cars, trucks, tractors, wristwatches, cameras, super colliders, and factory machinery are the subject of many photographs around the world. And, for a small group of passionate photographers, the appeal of photographing railroads is forever intoxicating. Locomotives, commuter trains, subways, and railway landscapes come together to create visual poetry that blends nature and man-made landscapes, as well as the human love for complex machinery
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
The lighthouse may be history’s only example of a man-made structure erected in the middle of a scenic vista that did not cause public outcry and protest. You don’t have to be a lifelong sailor to appreciate the beauty of the world’s lighthouses. Even the lighthouses that fail to grace the pages of coffee-table books and the front of potato-chip bags are fantastic in their own ways. Mariner and landlubber alike often find their cameras pointing at these lantern-topped buildings, and releasing the shutter to yield stunning lighthouse
by Allan Weitz · Posted
I recently posted a photo of a Sony A7R II with a Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide-Heliar lens and Voigtländer 15mm optical viewfinder mounted on the accessory shoe, on Instagram. Though not an unusual setup for me when I’m out
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
The iPhone camera is a simple point-and-shoot photographic tool, right? Yes, it is, but, even using the basic iPhone camera app, the photographer has many different options for capturing the best possible image. Here we will give you a quick-and-dirty guide to getting intimate with your iPhone’s camera.
1. There are many ways to activate the iPhone camera.
The most basic: Click on the Camera icon.
Extra fun. Press-and-hold on the Camera icon and you will get a shortcut menu to Take Selfie, Record Video, Record Slo-mo, or Take Photo.
by Shawn C. Steiner · Posted
Even among the most serious professional photographers, there is recognition that the smartphone is an extraordinarily capable and convenient tool. They have it easy, though, with years of experience that make taking a photo with their mobile devices intuitive, and then follow it up with stellar editing that really makes the subject pop. If you have always wanted to make your smartphone photos shine like the pros, you have come to the right place, because this
876 Views· Posted
In this program, David Brommer covers the basic concepts of composition as established by the masters of the Renaissance. Commencing with the classic rule of thirds and leaping into theories of color and balance, David will touch upon a range of topics, including: image construction, positive and negative space, as well as other advanced composition concepts.
General shooting questions like, “Is the shot better if it’s a horizontal or vertically composed?” and conceptual ideas such as integrating theme and subject context are explored. Another