Overview:
- Shoot a photograph that you feel best displays each one of the 20 shoot tips
- Edit each in Photoshop, making it the best photograph it can be
- All Photographs must be posted to your blog in order of the shoot tips. Label each photograph by the number of the shoot tip, and the title of the shoot tip
- Move in Close – Photograph objects from up close to focus on textures rather than getting too much unnecessary background noise
- Use Care in Cropping – PORTRAIT - Do not cut a person off at a joint. Crop at a narrowing point - mid calf, mid thigh, mid forearm, or mid upper-arm
- Close up foreground objects – LANDSCAPE - Use a close up foreground object to make the photograph more compositionally interesting, and it actually makes the photograph appear less busy or cluttered
- C-Composition – An object in a c-shape as the focus of your composition is a great way to make an interesting photograph, it allows the eye to move across the picture
- The Rule of Thirds – If you divide your composition into a grid of thirds, the most interesting place for your focal point is at the intersection of these lines
- The Rule of Thirds #2 - Your subject should take up 2/3 of the composition, while the background takes up the other 1/3
- Find an interesting angle – Shoot from extreme angles to create a stronger impact – get up close, down low, shoot from a bird’s eye view, etc.
- Define your focal point – this can be done through the use of depth of field, the rule of thirds, using the elements of art (color, shape, line, value, texture, etc.). Having a clearly defined subject or focal point allows the viewer to identify what you meant to accomplish as an artist. If you do not have a clear focal point, the eye will not have a place to rest, which can confuse the viewer and make your shot appear too busy or cluttered. Once you have identified a focal point ask yourself how you can enhance it or make it as interesting as possible.
- Creating Active Space – Give a moving object space to move into in a photograph. When your subject is moving in a direction, your eyes follow that path, this allows the eye to see the whole composition
- Figure-Field Relationships - The relationship between your subject and background is important. If you have a busy subject with a lot of detail, texture, or features that draw the eye in, consider having a simple background. If your subject is more simple (a shillouette, a shadow, or something with simple edges and texture), you can get away with having a busier background.
- Use diagonal lines – Use diagonal lines to point towards a subject. This can be an effective way to draw the eye across the photograph and to your subject
- Use depth of field – By using a macro setting, a wide (small numbered) aperture, or in Photoshop, you can blur the background of an image to define your subject/focal point. Shallow depth of field means that what is close to the camera is in focus, and what is beyond that is out of focus.
- Frame within a frame – use objects such as trees, doorways, etc. in a composition to help frame your subject
- Focus on the details – When a scene is simply too big to fit in your picture without it getting uncomfortably close to the edge of the frame, focus instead on one of the details that makes it unique. An abstract crop can often have greater impact and give a more original view of a tired, over-used view we've all seen before.
- Texture matters - Avoid overly busy textures in your photographs, especially in large quantities. If your subject has heavy texture, make sure your background doesn't. You should not be overwhelmed by texture in a photograph, the goal is to have the eye move around the photograph, but to also have places to allow the eye to rest
- Use Back Lighting – Lighting an object from behind gives a more dramatic lighting affect (just make sure you don’t actually photograph the light source, or it will wash out your picture)
- Use Diffused Light – When possible, diffusing your light source will help prevent harsh contrast. If you don’t have a professional light box (such as those we have in the studio) then a thin piece of paper such as tracing paper held over the light will give a similar effect
- Get up early, stay out late - Photography is all about painting with light. Light is what gives your pictures contrast, shape and texture, and often the best light is that which appears at either end of the day when the sun is lower in the sky. At these times of day it casts longer, more extreme shadows, which in turn pick out small details, bumps and texture. By shooting early in the morning and late in the afternoon, you'll achieve far more interesting results than you would at noon when you'll spend more time controlling the light coming into your lens than you will manipulating your subjects to best exploit the shadows.
- Reflect on things – Embrace the photo opportunities afforded by the puddles. Use reflections for a different take on otherwise well-known scenes. Reflection shots also work well on bodies of water such as rivers, the ocean, lakes, or reservoirs, or other man made objects like windows, metal, and mirrors.
- Break all the rules – Be truly original. Ignore the rule of thirds. Shoot at high noon. Shoot sports photos at slow shutter speeds for blurred results. Whatever you do, make your pictures stand out from the crowd; sometimes breaking the rules can give you interesting results.
EDITING
- Crop it (All photos, when appropriate - no unnecessary information should be in the photographs
- Use Adjustment Layers - Adjust the levels, brightness/contrast, hue/saturation, etc. (ALL PHOTOS)
- Sharpen it (Try on all photos - keep change on ones that it enhances)
- Use the quick select tool to adjust levels of certain areas
- Use the quick select tool and filters to blur the background
- Straighten Horizon (all photos that need it - any photo that has strong line, make sure the most prominent lines are straight)
- Etc - experiment with photoshop!
