Ok, photographers, time for the first Photography 101 homework assignment.
Put your camera way.
Yep. Put your camera away, and head out to the your local bookstore or newsstand. Pick up a copy of Architectural Digest. Actually any magazine, book or catalog with photos of home interiors will do, but since AD is noted for excellent interior photography, its a good place to start.
Flip through the magazine and pick a photo of a room interior. Now let's consider that photo with some of the photography concepts previously discussed in mind.
Composition:
What objects in the photo first draw your eye -- the primary subjects? A fireplace, maybe? A table, a window? Remember Bryce's post about the Rule of Thirds? Take a pencil and draw Bryce's grid lines on the photo (If you want to preserve the magazine, make a photocopy of the page and draw on the photocopy. If you don't care about the magazine, go ahead and have at it with a felt tip marker). How are the primary subjects positioned on the grid lines?
Depth of Field/Boke:
Identify the foreground, middle ground, and background. What area of the photo is in the sharpest focus? The middleground, maybe? Is there a vase, or a floral arrangement, in the foreground that is in soft focus? What about windows? Can you see trees or shrubs through the windows? Are the trees and shrubs in soft focus?
Lighting:
Look for bright, highlighted areas. Where is the light source? In front of the primary subjects? To the right or left? Behind? Look for shadows. Do the primary subjects cast shadows? Are the shadows dark and sharply defined, or soft and muted? Do the shadows fall in a direction congruent with the light source? Maybe there is more than one light source? Look back at the windows. Is it daylight outside, bright and blown out? Evening? Dusk?
Pick another photo in the magazine, and run through the same exercise. Compare a photo you particularly like to one you don't like. Can you describe the differences between the two?
Don't worry. There is no test, no right or wrong answers. The object is to simply start increasing your visual awareness. And magazine photos are a remarkably good tool to help you do just that.
I think I love Cheryl Johnson... I'm going to start carving that into my desk with a pencil...
Seriously - I read all your photography posts. Thank you. I don't comment on them enough so that you realize they are being read and enjoyed and I'm always looking forward to the next one.
Thank you.
Cheryl,
Are you a teacher? You should be. I read this and thought back to many many years ago when I first studied oil painting. The most impressionable thing my instructor taught me was how to "see"! You have taught that here in your post. Excellent article!
Karen: No, not a teacher. Unless trying to show agents and staff how to cope with technology counts. :-) I do have great admiration for teachers, though!
Everyone: Thank you for the kind words.
I hope folks are jumping in and taking a shot at Cheryl's suggestions here. Nothing will make you better faster than practicing 'seeing'.
Someone I respect very much said; "Do something photographic every day...which may just be thinking about it, or looking".
-B
Cheryl - Thanks for your willingness to share! Increasing the visual awareness makes absolute sense.
FYI - I'm still giggling about what Don posted (carving I love Cheryl into his desk). Don - thanks for the laugh.
Cheryl -
GREAT information. I'm heading out to get the magazine right now!
All the best,
Beth
Cheryl,
Thanks for reminding us of the basics. Composition is the most important part of good photography. We tend to get involved with the technical details and camera features that sometimes we forget the basics. Good photography is not about equipment but about "art". We need to keep this in mind and work on improving our compositions.
Thanks again for you usual excellent post.