Tag Archives: composition

Composition tips: knowing intent is important

Getty Museum grounds–At public places it can sometimes be difficult to work. Crowds of people can be a distraction especially if they’re dressed with bright gaudy colors. I had to wait a while as the throngs of people passed continuously on the path.

Whenever we hold that camera up to our eye, it really helps if we are clear what’s compelling us to do so.

If all we’re doing is holding down the shutter button indiscriminately, we may as well be shooting video. No, I’m not “dissing” or disrespecting videography.

That’s a whole different animal.

Since we’re freezing a moment in time, we have to make a conscious decision about when to release the shutter.

Thinking a little about the scene we see before us usually helps. Continue reading Composition tips: knowing intent is important

Portrait with a wide angle lens 2

Artist Pat Corbin Chao–works on her landscape of the fishing pier at Lake Evans. I used just a reflector to direct the light down towards the palette and her canvas. See this picture from my student Erika Garcia taken from the  reverse angle.

Our 2nd artist Pat Corbin Chao set up to work closer to the lake but still within our immediate vicinity.

At this time of the day, about 7 pm, the sun was almost below the horizon.

But there was still a lot of light because of the mirror-like quality  from the water of Lake Evans.

The very warm and directional light gives everything a nice gold glow.
Continue reading Portrait with a wide angle lens 2

Portraits with a wide angle lens 1

Artist Sharon Suhovy painting on location–The time of the day, 6:37 pm, made very directional light possible. I made sure Sharon’s face was lit by the setting sun bouncing off Lake Evans. This helps draw even more attention to her since her face is now the lightest part of the picture.

Composition

The Rule of Thirds is often cited in composition.

In fact I hear it discussed ad nauseam in painting, drawing and photography.

I mention it once to my students and I quickly move on.

It’s the rebel in me, the part that questions authority.

I just don’t like that word “Rule” when it comes to art, that’s why.

If it works, that’s all that matters.

Those Art History classes in college left me scarred.

Those classes where the professor would analyze and explain away the great masterpieces and why he thought the artist did what they did. Great bedtime stories by the way.
Continue reading Portraits with a wide angle lens 1

Morning sun

Shooting into the sun–With my 50 mm lens 1/8000 @ f1.4 ISO 100 and backlighting the flower bloom, you lose a sense of what kind of light was used or even the time of the day. This was early morning around 7:45 am.

The sun came out of hiding finally.

I went by one of my favorite buildings downtown–the Life Arts Center which is one hundred years old, I think.

Those pictures for the story were taken by David Bauman, long-time staff photographer at the paper and a good friend.

His dad Fred was the one who hired me out of college.

Continue reading Morning sun