Saturday, June 28, 2014

Composition: Framing

The concept of "Framing" is the fifth and final composition topic this month for the Boost Your Photography: 52 Weeks Challenge. (Join the Google+ Community to share your weekly photographs and receive feedback.) The previous topics this month were the Rule of ThirdsLeading Lines, Fill the Frame, and Orientation.


Composition and Framing

The term "frame" in photography refers to the border of your photograph. Everything that is "within the frame" is what you see in your final image. (Incidentally, Within the Frame is also the title of an amazing photography book by David DuChemin that focuses on vision and motivation, as well as detailed information about shooting different travel situations: people, places, and culture.)

Framing is the use of an element within your photograph that provides a visible frame within the borders (frame) of the photograph itself. A frame-within-the-frame, as it were.

The idea behind framing is that a frame provides another layer to your photograph and the story that you are telling. A frame can limit the viewer by drawing their eyes towards and through the frame. A frame can also add a sense of place or context to the rest of the photograph - a landscape view can be contextualized as the view through your hotel window, for example.

Backpacking in the Badlands of South Dakota | Boost Your Photography
View from within our tent of the Badlands of South Dakota 

There is an unlimited supply of elements that could be used to create a frame within your photograph, but the most common include architectural elements like windows and doorways and natural elements like trees and branches.

Man-Made Frames

Architecture is a great source of elements to use for framing an image within your image. Windows and doors are commonly used to add interest or direct your eye when viewing a photograph. (You can read more about photographing through windows in the article Window on the World.)

Sunset over Prague Castle | Boost Your Photography


Sunset over Prague Castle, framed by the Astronomical Tower | Boost Your Photography

The series of sunset shots, above, were taken from the top of the Astronomical Tower in Prague, Czech Republic. The unframed version (top) provides a more expansive view of the city and the sunset and was shot by leaning myself and the camera out through the window slits. In the framed version (bottom), the inclusion of the masonry arch adds another layer of depth and context to the image. Now the viewer sees the context where the photograph is being taken (from the tower) and the foreground of the frame draws the viewer through the window and into the background of the city and the sunset. (In an ideal world, I would have used a tripod and a narrower aperture to get the entire photograph front-to-back in focus.)

Through the windshield: a view of Jordan | Boost Your Photography

This photograph was taken through the windshield of our minivan while traveling in Jordan. The frame of the inside of the car, as well as the decorative fringe and air freshener, add to the sense of place and gives the viewer the feeling of being inside the van as well. The juxtaposition of urban (edges of Amman) and rural (the horse) also add to what is going on in this photograph.

Frames and Framing in Nature

Think beyond architecture, and you will find a wide-range of frames and framing elements in nature as well. Trees and branches are commonly used a frames and can add a sense of depth an interest to a photograph or scene.

A heron's sunrise silhouette | Boost Your Photography

Trees frame a heron's sunrise silhouette | Boost Your Photography

This series of photographs of a Great Blue Heron comes from one of my all-time favorite sunrise shots. I had given myself an extra 20 minutes on my commute in to work that morning and was stunned by the amazing mist and fog off the lake, contrasting with the bright rays of the morning sun. The heron and its unique silhouette was the perfect bonus.

I took a wide range of shots, experimenting with composition in general and framing in particular. While I loved the interplay of light and shadow in the first photograph (top), I found that the addition of the framing elements of the tree trunks on the sides and the branches above (bottom) really added to the storytelling power of the image and accentuated the brilliant colors of the morning. Now there are three clear zones: the foreground silhouettes of the trees and heron; the midground interest of the lake, fog, and ducks; and the background shapes of the trees and sky.

Framing highlights Milford Sound in New Zealand | Boost Your Photography

A frame can also be used to give the viewer the sense of "being there" themselves. The photograph above, from Milford Sound in New Zealand, grounds the viewer with the photographer - standing on the edge of the fjord, peaking through the trees.

Summary: Use a Frame

Using a frame within your photograph is a creative way to add interest and expand on the storytelling abilities of your image. Pay attention to the architectural and natural elements around you that could lend themselves well to an interesting framing image. Experiment with different angles, views, and compositions to find out what works the best for you. And always remember to have fun with it!

(Looking to grow more in your photography? Consider joining the BYP 52 Weeks Google+ Community to share your weekly photograph and see what others are capturing.)

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

A Year Ago on Boost Your Photography


Consider joining in the Boost Your Photography: 52 Weeks Challenge! Our focus for July is photography basics. Join the Google+ Community to share your weekly photographs and receive feedback. New members are always welcome!

2013:


  • Travel Photography: Make a Shot List. Traveling at all this summer? Be sure that you come home with all of the shots that you want - find out why and how to make a shot list and get all of the photographs that you are after.
  • Postcards from Rainier. A photo-walk through of a recent trip to Mount Rainier National Park, including some thoughts about how to make the best of the photography situations that you encounter when traveling.
  • Make the Shot: Spoon Reflection Photography. Have a camera? Have a spoon? Have a great time getting some creative shots using spoon reflections. This how to posts gives you all the tips you need to know to get great shots like the one above.

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Saturday, June 21, 2014

Composition: Orientation

The concept of "Orientation" is the fourth composition topic this month for the Boost Your Photography: 52 Weeks Challenge. (Join the Google+ Community to share your weekly photographs and receive feedback.) The previous topics this month were the Rule of ThirdsLeading Lines, and Fill the Frame.

Composition and Orientation

In photography, orientation refers to the way you take and display your photographs. The vast majority of photographs from DSLR and point-and-shoot cameras are taken with a 'landscape' or horizontal orientation, where the photograph is longer than it is tall, while the advent of cell phone cameras and sites like Pinterest have helped bring attention to the less common 'portrait' or vertical orientation, where a photograph is taller than it is wide. Even the terms that we use to refer to this orientations - landscape and portrait - imply that some subjects are better suited to one orientation than another.

The point of spending a week focusing on orientation is to help you to remember that you have a choice. Many of us are so "programmed" to use our camera in its default orientation that we rarely think to turn it sideways and explore another view. Even cell phone camera users are seen to turn their phones sideways to snap horizontal photographs almost by default, even though their actual default orientation is vertical.

Before you even take a photograph this week, stop and ask yourself why you are using the orientation you are in that moment. Is there a compositional or photographic reason for it or is it simply the orientation your camera had when you picked it up to start shooting? If you don't have a reason for it, don't start shooting. Take that extra moment to consider the question of orientation and what would best fit the photograph and composition that you want to capture.

Orientation in Action: go vertical!

I will readily admit that my photographs are more commonly taken using a horizontal or landscape orientation. But the more time I spend reading about, learning about, and exploring my photographic journey, the more I try to push myself to consider orientation when composing my shots. The following series of photographs are some comparison images of times when orientation made a measurable impact.

Long Exposure Carnival Photography - Horizontal | Boost Your Photography
Want to capture this style of image? Read Long Exposure Photography at the Fair(e).

I had been out shooting at a carnival with the local photography group. The image above represents my initial composition for this scene, as I like the combination of the two rides: the YoYo flying swings and the Ferris Wheel in the background. A horizontal orientation worked well here to capture much of the extent of the YoYo ride and its spinning swirl of lights. I realized, however, that I could tell a different story if I tried a vertical orientation.

Long Exposure Carnival Photography - Vertical | Boost Your Photography

Recomposing the shot (still from the same location) allowed me to include the carnival-goers in the scene. The long exposure (5 seconds) led most of the people to be blurry, but I especially liked the contrast between their motion and movement with the stock-still standing of the man in yellow. While the vertical orientation cut off more of the lights from the ride, it allowed me to tell a fuller story in one photograph.


The horizontal orientation is colloquially called "landscape" for a reason. Many, many landscape and nature photographs are shot in landscape, as this orientation allows you to feature a wide view of a scene. In this photograph, the prairie flowers are featured in the forefront, with a little additional interest provided by the trees and water tower in the background.



Using the vertical (portrait) orientation completely transforms the feeling of the same scene. Now the prairie flowers are closer, larger, and draw more attention. The vertical orientation also elongates the feeling of depth in the image and gives a much more wide angle feel to the view (even though both shots were taken with the same point-and-shoot camera and focal length). A great example of how "landscape" orientation is not always the best option for your "landscape" photograph!

While you should always consider your orientation when shooting, you can also play around with changing the orientation afterwards in post-processing. While out shooting this sunrise over the Madison capitol and skyline, I experimented with a number of different orientations, focal lengths, and compositions through the progress of the sunrise.

In this particular image (SOOC on top), I realized that all of the blank gray-blue of the clouds was not really adding to the photograph and that I really wanted to feature the reflections of the sun in the water.

My final, vertical crop is shown, both as it appeared on the original image, and the final, cropped image. The vertical orientation features the long, vertical sunrise reflection (and light in the sky), while the closer crop allows you to better see and appreciate the Capitol silhouette and the two small birds in the sky.

Orientation: Summary

Do not let your photographs be defined by the default way that you hold your camera or camera-phone. Make orientation a conscious part of your photo-making process. Before you press the shutter, think about whether the orientation you are using is the best to for the subject you have chosen.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking all landscape shots must be horizontal or that all portrait shots must be vertical. The more thought you give to your image beforehand, the better your final photograph will be!

(Looking to grow more in your photography? Consider joining the BYP 52 Weeks Google+ Community to share your weekly photograph and see what others are capturing.)

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Teaching Kids Photography Part 2: Composition and Design

Teaching Kids Photography Part 2: Composition and Design | Boost Your Photography
Want to take that next step in teaching your kid(s) about photography and stoking their life-long passion? This article is the second in an occasional series on teaching kids photography, based around a series of lessons I designed for an elementary and middle school Photography Club. The first article covered Teaching Kids Photography: shooting modes, focus, and exposure.

Composition and Design

For our second Photography Club meeting, I chose to focus on the twin issues of composition and design, as these techniques and strategies are relevant no matter the type of camera you use. (Club members had access to several varieties and levels of point-and-shoot and phone cameras.)

We started with a brief PowerPoint presentation about some of the basic concepts of composition and design. Students enjoyed looking at the comparative examples, in particular, which sparked some interesting conversation and discussion. Many of the students, for example, were initially more attracted to the symmetrical sunset image than the 'Rule of Thirds' version, which helped reinforce the point that composition is really a series of suggestions and that everyone has different opinions and interpretations. (Curious? Read more about Composition and the Rule of Thirds here.)

Teaching the Rule of Thirds | Boost Your Photography

In addition to the Rule of Thirds, we also discussed the concept of using leading lines as a composition element. Students were generally familiar with the idea of perspective from their Art classes and enjoyed seeing how they could use concepts from other art forms to inform their photography. (Read more about Composition and Leading Lines here.)

Another topic I wanted to be sure to emphasize was the importance of paying attention to your background and not just your subject. Like many beginning photographers, I had noticed from our first meeting that students were often so absorbed in their main subject that they paid little attention to the rest of the photograph. We shared a few examples where the background detracted from the overall photograph, including the slide below of an accidentally slanted horizon. (Read more about how to Remember the Background and Move Your Feet.)

Composition: Watch Your Horizons | Boost Your Photography

Finally, I decided to end with a little bit of fun before we got down to shooting: forced perspective. Forced perspective takes advantage of the fact that a photograph is a two-dimensional capture of a three-dimensional scene. Think: someone near the camera squishing the face of someone farther from the camera or the classic shot of tourists holding up the background Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Photo by Flickr user thentoff, used under Creative Commons license

Photography Exploration

After the presentation and discussion, we had about half an hour for hands-on photography. Due to the weather, we had to stay indoors but had access to several areas in the school, including the gym, to spread out to and apply the new compositional learning. (I have deliberately left out identifiable photographs of the students themselves, but many portraits and other 'forced perspective' attempts were also made.)

View outside of the playground using the Rule of Thirds
Off-center composition using Rule of Thirds, as well as a decluttered background
Leading lines and perspective on the stairs
Leading lines in the white board marker rail
I am posed by a student with an attempt to make the eagle pose on my shoulder.
(It was Team Spirit Day at school as well.)
Forced perspective, holding up the painted eagle in the gym (cropped)

Conclusion: Teaching Kids Photography Composition

Composition and design is a great place to start when encouraging kids to do more with their photography. Start by exploring just a few basic rules at a time, and see how a little bit of planning can make a big impact. (Plus, don't forget to have a little fun!)





Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Intentional Camera Movement Ideas

Savvy readers of Digital Photography School may have noticed my byline on one of the new articles this weekend: Creative Reasons to Use Intentional Camera Movement. Intentional Camera Movement or ICM throws the traditional advice of 'keep your camera steady' out the window and encourages you to experiment with moving your camera while shooting. Click on over to the full article for several different ideas for how to use camera motion for fun, creative photographs.

Intentional Camera Movement Ideas | Boost Your Photography
Traffic lights and trails shot from the passenger's seat while driving through a tunnel

Want to read more about ICM-style shots?  Check out Panning in Photography.





Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Composition: Fill the Frame

The concept of "Fill the Frame" is the third composition topic this month for the Boost Your Photography: 52 Weeks Challenge. (Join the Google+ Community to share your weekly photographs and receive feedback.) The previous topics this month were the Rule of Thirds and Leading Lines.

Composition: Fill the Frame | Boost Your Photography

What is the Frame and Why Fill It?

Here, the frame refers to the edges of your photograph or the edges of the viewfinder of your camera when you are shooting. The advice to fill the frame means to get in close, to make your subject a significant portion of the final photograph.

This advice is articulated in a lot of different ways, most recently in the admonishment to beginning photographers to "Get close. Then get closer." (This particular wording featured third in the recent article The Most Valuable Photography Tips Ever on Digital Photography School. Check it out for some other great composition and photography advice.) As Valerie explains, "Photographers tend to leave too much ‘stuff’ around their subject. The viewer gets lost in the chaos and doesn’t know where to look. Less is often more."

Fill the frame encourages you, as a photographer, to really spend some time thinking about your subject and how best to feature that subject in your photograph. How can you bring forward the details or the patterns or the most critical element(s) of your subject? How does the background add to or take away from the story that you are trying to tell?

Fill the Frame: Get Closer to Your Subject | Boost Your Photography

Once you think you can answer those questions, compose and take your photograph. Then get closer, whether by zooming in your lens or moving yourself physically closer with your feet. Take another photograph. Compare the two and see whether filling the frame made a difference for your composition in that situation.

A good tip for whether you have filled the frame - does your subject spill out of the frame and beyond the bounds of your photograph? If so, then you are truly beginning to fill the frame.

Fill the Frame: examples

The following collection of shots walks you through the process of identifying a subject and then continuing to explore that subject photographically while trying to consider filling the frame.


My initial impulse after encountering this incredible field of sunflowers was to get the wide angle shot above. This photograph establishes the context of the subject - the farm house, the size of the field, and the darkening clouds in the sky. The sunflowers themselves, however, are only a small portion of the entire image. Now to think about filling the frame.


I decided to narrow my composition down to a cluster of sunflowers, and I chose to zoom with my feet as well as with my lens. I moved in closer to the sunflowers and got down lower, to better emphasize their height. This lower shooting position also helped simplify the composition and emphasized the contrast between the bright colors of the sunflowers and the darker colors of the clouds. (This follows another of my favorite pieces of photography advice - Remember the Background and Move Your Feet.)


But I could still get closer. Next I narrowed the composition even further to a single sunflower. Here I used the off-center placement favored by the Rule of Thirds to feature the flower and the bee I had discovered busily crawling around inside. I used a longer focal length on my zoom lens (around 220 mm in this case) and a wider aperture to isolate the flower from the background and to render the background sunflowers as bokeh blur. (Read more about What a Wide Aperture Can Do for You.)


Yet there was still closer to go. Now my zoom lens was racked out to its farthest focal length (270 mm), and the center of the sunflower so filled the frame of my viewfinder that it spilled off out of the frame on two sides. My subject was no longer 'field of sunflowers' or 'group of sunflowers' or even 'sunflower.' It had become bee and sunflower and pattern and color and more.

Summary: Fill the Frame

Now, I am not saying that "Fill the Frame" is advice that makes sense in every photographic situation. That last photograph might not have even been your personal favorite of the series. But what matters is the process of photographic exploration and a willingness to experiment with composition. There are many, many situations where you can improve your photograph by getting closer, by moving in, and by filling the frame. By keeping that possibility in the back of your mind when shooting, you may find yourself making and capturing photographs you might not have taken before. And you may be impressed by what you find! (Consider joining the BYP 52 Weeks Google+ Community to share your weekly photograph and see what others are capturing.)


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A Year Ago on Boost Your Photography

2013:

  • All about Exposure. The second post in our occasional series aimed at beginners covers all about exposure, including correct, creative, and equivalent exposures. The second-half of the article offers suggestions about how to perfect your exposure when out shooting.

  • Puddle Reflection Photography: how to. Make the most out of a recent rain storm - try your hand at puddle reflection photography! This technique works best with point-and-shoot cameras, and you can get amazing pictures out of even small puddles (like the gutter above).
  • Why and How to Tag Your Photographs. Never lose track of another photograph - find out why and how to tag your photographs. Tags are an incredibly useful tool, and if you do yet have a method for tagging your photographs, you will definitely want to give this one a read.

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