Composition, non-technical aesthetics
Mar 13, 2020 20:39:29 #
MrMophoto
Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"
This thread is in response to a discussion posted in "Chit chat"
I am a public high school art teacher, I've been teaching Graphic design and photography for over 20 years, but I don't consider myself an expert, just a practitioner. I'm attaching a PDF doc on composition, what I refer to as "structures". I tell my classes that composition is one thing that will set your great photographs apart from all the other great photographs. I'm not sure where this thread will go, I just think more people who visit this site regularly should understand what composition really is.
I am a public high school art teacher, I've been teaching Graphic design and photography for over 20 years, but I don't consider myself an expert, just a practitioner. I'm attaching a PDF doc on composition, what I refer to as "structures". I tell my classes that composition is one thing that will set your great photographs apart from all the other great photographs. I'm not sure where this thread will go, I just think more people who visit this site regularly should understand what composition really is.
Mar 13, 2020 20:41:38 #
Mar 13, 2020 20:45:35 #
MrMophoto wrote:
This thread is in response to a discussion posted ... (show quote)
Thank you - I forwarded this link to my son who also teaches HS graphics and photography.
Cheers
Mar 13, 2020 20:47:45 #
Nicely done, thanks!
But do you mean this topic in main discussion forum:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-635992-1.html
The below is the "chit chat" section
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-7-1.html
.
But do you mean this topic in main discussion forum:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-635992-1.html
The below is the "chit chat" section
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-7-1.html
.
Mar 13, 2020 21:37:18 #
Mar 13, 2020 22:04:25 #
That PDF looks like the one I posted in chit-chat and got from the 'SEARCH' on this forum. The whole thing is still as clear as mud to me.
If you want a good challenge in composition try 'still photography.' That will get you going.
I tried it a while back thinking what could be easier than still photography and I couldn't think of anything. Your subject or subjects are just sitting there waiting for you to get the light right and sharp focus; no moving or flying around. HA was I wrong. Your constantly ... no I'm going to let you find out for yourself. Good luck
Brian Peterson in his book on Composition pretty well hits the nail on the head,
If you want a good challenge in composition try 'still photography.' That will get you going.
I tried it a while back thinking what could be easier than still photography and I couldn't think of anything. Your subject or subjects are just sitting there waiting for you to get the light right and sharp focus; no moving or flying around. HA was I wrong. Your constantly ... no I'm going to let you find out for yourself. Good luck
Brian Peterson in his book on Composition pretty well hits the nail on the head,
Mar 13, 2020 22:31:45 #
tramsey wrote:
That PDF looks like the one I posted in chit-chat ... (show quote)
I've always seen photography of non-moving objects called "still life photography". To me, "still photography" means single shot photography as opposed to motion pictures or video.
Mar 13, 2020 23:25:50 #
Mar 13, 2020 23:37:11 #
Then there is t he Golden Spiral.
https://www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-use-the-golden-ratio-to-improve-your-photography/
https://www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-use-the-golden-ratio-to-improve-your-photography/
Mar 14, 2020 06:49:40 #
alawry
Loc: Timaru New Zealand
I'll add my thoughts if I may. I see composition as elusive I know it when I see it but doing myself is not so easy. I've a friend, going on a 40 year friendship, the photographer of our local newspaper. I admire his skills, no two pictures show the same technique, he just sets people up so naturally in settings and might shoot from high or ground level, in their face or from 20 yards away, natural lighting or filler and all so casually without seeming to think.
Myself, I admire the subject of derelict buildings, a lot of photos here are documenting the subject, maybe 1 in 10 making a great photo of the subject. Often with a riding story about limited access etc. I feel a bit mean criticising when I can't do better, but I recognize a well thought out angle when I see it, and aspire to do that. It's elusive. It's practise, review, study the work of others, look behind the scenes and don't just say, I like that, but think, why do I like that? Good luck all, and keep safe in the current climate.
Myself, I admire the subject of derelict buildings, a lot of photos here are documenting the subject, maybe 1 in 10 making a great photo of the subject. Often with a riding story about limited access etc. I feel a bit mean criticising when I can't do better, but I recognize a well thought out angle when I see it, and aspire to do that. It's elusive. It's practise, review, study the work of others, look behind the scenes and don't just say, I like that, but think, why do I like that? Good luck all, and keep safe in the current climate.
Mar 14, 2020 07:34:47 #
alawry wrote:
....no two pictures show the same technique, he just sets people up so naturally...... and all so casually without seeming to think.
It's obvious that your friend doesn't use the "rules" as any kind of guideline. If he did he would have to think about every new situation then decide which rule would be most appropriate for that situation. He has something much better - an eye for it. I suspect that getting too attached to the various rules inhibits our development of that very desirable "eye". Once developed (through exercise) it will stand us in good stead for any situation that we may find ourselves in, and as an added bonus it will encourage variety and originality.
Mar 14, 2020 08:39:12 #
Your summary is a good simple quick learning the basics tool. You may be interested in a free in-depth site discussing with examples the psychology of photo composition:
http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/article_index.htm
http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/article_index.htm
Mar 14, 2020 08:48:54 #
This whole subject reminds me of when I programmed computers for business software. The most important piece of that I always considered to be the "user interface". I asked myself, how do I make it intuitive for a user to navigate around the current page? The answer to that was very elusive. I was in a programmer group at the time, and seemed to be the only one that thought it to be important. I never had a satisfactory answer, but ended up selling the business, so it all became moot.
Mar 14, 2020 08:51:56 #
JohnSwanda wrote:
I've always seen photography of non-moving objects called "still life photography". To me, "still photography" means single shot photography as opposed to motion pictures or video.
Webster interprets differently.
Still life and still photography are not interchangeable terms.
Mar 14, 2020 09:50:41 #
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