Project 52, Week 14, Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal Lines

This week compose a scene with lines - up, down, or sideways.

Horizontal Lines:

• Horizontal lines go across a photo from side to side.
• They can be peaceful and calming.
• Horizons should be very straight or definitely skewed. 

Vertical Lines:

• Vertical lines go up and down. 
• They can show stability, strength, and power.
• Vertical lines should not sprout from the top of a subject's head unless it's a hat, crown, or hairdo.

Diagonal or Slanted Lines:

• If a horizontal or vertical line isn't straight, it's a slanted line.
• Diagonal lines can add drama to a photo and create a sense of movement.
• They can be straight, curved, jagged, irregular, or zigzag lines.
• Diagonal or slanted lines make effective leading lines because they lead you through more of the scene.

Jagged (Zigzag, Irregular) Lines:

• Jagged lines can make the viewer feel uncomfortable, creating tension.
• Or they can create a laid-back, no hurry mood.
• Or they can skip across the scene in childish glee.

Things to consider:

• Lines add visual interest to a photo and create depth and dimension. They can direct our eyes to the main subject or lead us through the scene. They can create a mood, such as tension or serenity. They can add stability or imply movement.
• "Lines" refer to direction or placement as well as type.  Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines can be straight, curved, or irregular.
• Lines can take many different forms. Roads, fences, horizons, structures (man-made and natural), light, shadows, stairs, walkways, snow drifts, lava flows, and waves are just a very few examples of lines seen in photographs. 
• Lines can also be implied or suggested by shapes or by groups of objects such as tree lines, mountain ranges, and skylines, or by the placement/positioning of subjects.
• Remember the Rule of Thirds and avoid having lines dissect the middle of a scene. (and remember all rules can be broken when appropriate).

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1.  Basic Composition Techniques: Horizontal Lines from Expert Photography, short article, several photos
2. Basic Composition Techniques: Why You Should Know About Vertical Lines from Expert Photography; short article, several photos
3. Using Horizontal Lines in Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School; short article
4. Using Vertical Lines in Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School; short article, 1 photo
5. Using Diagonal Lines in Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School; short article with 2 photos 
6. The Magical Diagonal from Jason Smalley
7. Photography Composition: the Golden Triangle Rule by Mira Crisp from Crisp PhotoWorks  
8. Designing a Photograph: Points and Lines - Big City Nights by Nat Coalson from Photo Focus; good photo of irregular skyline framed by diagonal line
9. a jagged line awaits by Reathel
10. Guidelines for Better Photographic Composition: Lines from photoinf
11. Digital Photography School - Getting Horizon Level in Photography from Enchanting Kerala; short article with tips on getting the horizon level

Project 12, Month 4, Lines

This month we'll be composing photographs with lines, a basic, varied, and fun compositional element.

Things to consider:

• Lines add visual interest to a photo and create depth and dimension. They can direct our eyes to the main subject or lead us through the scene. They can create a mood, such as tension or serenity. They can add stability or imply movement.
• "Lines" refer to direction or placement as well as type.  Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines can be straight, curved, or irregular.
• Lines can take many different forms. Roads, fences, horizons, structures (man-made and natural), light, shadows, stairs, walkways, snow drifts, lava flows, and waves are just a very few examples of lines seen in photographs. 
• Lines can also be implied or suggested by shapes or by groups of objects such as tree lines, mountain ranges, and skylines, or by the placement/positioning of subjects.
• Remember the Rule of Thirds and avoid having lines dissect the middle of a scene. (and remember all rules can be broken when appropriate).

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Using Lines in Photography by Gloria Hopkins; an article with photographic examples of many different kinds of lines
2. Guidelines for Better Photographic Composition: Lines, mostly photographic examples from photoinf
3. Advanced Composition - Part I an article on using lines to improve composition from Ron Bigelow Photography
4. Draw Viewer’s Into The Photographic Composition With Lines from Advanced Photography Tips
5. The Spaghetti Principle from thehyperfocaldistance.com; interesting article using pasta to demonstrate horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines.
6. Using Lines to Improve Photographic Composition from The Photo Argus; short article with photos
7. Using Lines in Composition by Steve Owen from Steve's Landscapes and Images; types of compositional lines defined
8. 15 Stunning Staircase Photos from photoble;15 photos of staircases with all kinds of lines.
9. Jim Zuckerman on Composition: Leading Lines from Mac-On-Campus; article on leading lines with pictorial examples
10. Jim Zuckerman on Composition: Lines by Jim Zuckerman from Mac-On-Campus; article on various types of lines with pictorial examples

Some Examples of Types of Lines:

Leading Lines: "Leading" lines lead the viewer to an object or through a photograph. They can add a dimension of depth to an otherwise flat scene. Leading lines can be straight, curved, or even zigzag.  Most people read from left to right and they'll follow a leading line the same way.

• Photography Tips: Leading Lines, by J Bernat, photographic examples
• Leading Lines of Light from Lori Kolbenschlag Photography
• Using Leading Lines in Photography a video by Julieanne Kost on compositing with Photoshop from AdobeTV

Horizontal Lines: Horizontal lines go across a photo from side to side. They can be peaceful and calming.  Horizontal lines should be very straight or definitely skewed. 

• Basic Composition Techniques: Horizontal Lines from Expert Photography, short article, several photos
• Using Horizontal Lines in Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School; short article

Vertical Lines go up and down. They can show stability, strength, and power.

• Using Vertical Lines in Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School; short article, 1 photo
• Basic Composition Techniques: Why You Should Know About Vertical Lines from Expert Photography; short article, several photos

Jagged (Zigzag, Irregular) Lines: Jagged lines can make the viewer feel uncomfortable, creating tension.  Or they can create a laid-back, no hurry mood. Or they can skip across the scene in childish glee.

• Designing a Photograph: Points and Lines- Big City Nights by Nat Coalson from Photo Focus; good photo of irregular  skyline framed by diagonal line
• a jagged line awaits by Reathel

Diagonal or Slanted Lines: Diagonal lines can add drama to a photo and create a sense of movement.  They can be straight, curved, or irregular lines.

• The Magical Diagonal from Jason Smalley
• Photography Composition: the Golden Triangle Rule by Mira Crisp from Crisp PhotoWorks

Curved Lines: Curved lines can imply slow, sensual motion or fast action.  An S-curve is considered especially pleasing to the eye.  Curve types also include radials, arcs, spirals, and C-curves.

• Using Curves to Enhance Composition by Brian Auer from Epic Edits; many photos with good examples of using curves
• Curves in Composition by Scott Simmons from Learn Outdoor Photography; very short article with 2 photos.

Converging Lines: Converging lines are parallel lines that appear to become closer together at the farthest end from the camera.

• How to Use Converging Lines to Enhance Your Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School, short article with photographic example
• Basic Composition Techniques: Converging Lines from Expert Photography; article with accompanying pictures

That's a lot of lines!
The photo Leading Lines Curved on Photo Junkie illustrates leading lines, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines,curves, irregular lines and converging lines.  The photo of the windmill and flower field also illustrates leading lines, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines, and converging lines.  See how many examples of each line type you can find.

Project 52, Week 13, Color, Light, and Texture

This week take a picture that illustrates how color, light, and/or texture can add depth and dimension to a photos.

Lighting -

• Because the eye is drawn to bright objects, light in the background can direct the viewer through the photograph giving it an illusion of depth.
• Front lighting can lead to flat photographs with little depth or dimension; front lighting comes from in front of, and toward, the subject.
• Side lighting helps emphasize texture and dimension.  The source of side lighting is to either side of the subject, but you probably figured that out on your own, didn't you?
• Back lighting can add drama as well as depth and dimension.  Back lighting means lighting a subject with the light coming from behind the subject and toward the camera.

Texture -

• Texture is the surface appearance of an object. Is an object smooth? bumpy? wrinkled? pitted? rough?
• Even a small patch of texture can add varying depths to a photo. 
• Play with side lighting to increase and decrease the strength and depth of textures.

Color -

• Lighter toned areas seem to come toward you, while darker areas recede.
• "Color blocks" can outline areas adding dimension to a scene.  This of something as simple as a yellow dandelion blooming in summer green grass or a red cardinal on a gray-brown, snow frosted tree branch.  Think bigger - a blue lake in front of green trees in front of gray mountains.  Each element has varying hues and tones of the same basic color.

OK - I don't think I was very helpful with this week's topic, so check out some of the photos in the links below:

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples

1. Texture and Color Value from North Penn School District; pdf files with many photos
2. Worm's Eye View by Carlo Berg from DeviantArt; one picture illustrating depth
3. Composition: Creating a Sense of Depth, See photo "Use of Light and Color
4. Composition and the Elements of Visual Design by Robert Berdan on photoinf; see the three sections Form - Light and Dark, Color, and Texture
5. Shading and Texturing by Jennifer Reynolds on eHow
6. Mountain Scenery Lighting and Tropical Beaches from Fodor's Focus on Travel Photography
7. Add Drama with Side Lighting from Advanced Photography
8. Composing with Color by Alain Briot from Nature Photographers Online Magazine

Fundamentals of Digital Photography 2012 - FREE!

creativeLive is offering another free workshop.  This one is a 5 day workshop on the  Fundamentals of Digital Photography 2012 by John Greengo.  Yep, a 5 day workshop for free.  It's live from 9AM - 4PM (PST) April 9 - 13.

CreativeLive offers a lot of free workshops so be sure to check them out soon.

Update 4/14/2012: I wasn't able to watch the whole 5 day Fundamentals of Digital Photography 2012 workshop, but creativeLive replayed each day's workshop in the evening so I was able to watch bits and pieces here and there after I got home from work. I liked John Greengo's teaching style and the information he presented so much that I bought the workshop (25 hours of video + 10 pdf files of the slides).    Topics include The Photographer's Eye, Cameras, Lenses, Light, Focus, Exposure, Gadgets, and Composition.

I downloaded the videos to watch and rewatch whenever I like.  Actually I have been downloading them for the past 3 days and don't have them all yet.  Just an example of how exensive this training is: the 10 pdf files contain over 1,500 pages.

I would definitely recommend this course over the NYIP Complete Course in Professional Photography.

Project 52, Week 12, Dimension - Depth and Size

This week we continue to depth and dimension to photographs by considering the size of different elements in our scene.

Some suggestions for creating a third dimension with size:

•  Diminishing size. Elements farthest from the camera appear smaller.  (Example: Sheep on a hillside) 
• Converging lines. When viewed from the right angle, a road will appear to narrow at the end farthest from the camera as the parallel edges of the road converge, conveying a sense of distance or depth. 
• Combine leading lines with diminishing sizes. If you stand at one end of a row of trees, the trees will appear smaller at the end of the row than at the end nearest the camera (Example: Trees!  some of these photos illustrate converging lines with diminishing sizes, some just illustrate converging lines, some just leading lines.)
• Point of View.  You can give the viewer a sense of the height of an object by taking a picture at the base and pointing upward (worm's eye view) or standing at the top and looking down (bird's eye view).  The subject will be larger close to the camera and seem smaller as it gets farther away.  (Examples: Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and View from Empire State Building)
• Visual cues.  The mind's eye can more easily discern the size of the main subject  when you include an element of known size, such as a person or a car, to help show scale. (Examples: Giant Redwood Trees)
• Natural Framing.  Including elements that frame the main subject can add depth to a photo. (Example: Depth illustrates a frame within a frame.)

This photo, The Secret Passageway to the Treasure, by Trey Radcliff illustrates "frame within a frame", "diminishing sizes", and "converging lines". All of these give a 3-dimensional feel to the photo.   Doesn't it seem that it's a long walk down the passageway, through all the doors, to the treasure?   Check out Mr. Radcliff's blog Stuck in Customs.

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples:

1. Composition Basics: That's Deep by Jeff Wignall from Adorama
2. Managing Converging Lines by Tom Hubbard from phoozl.com
3. Establishing Size  from Fodor's Focus on Travel Photography
4. Photography Composition 3: Framing from Anne Darling Photography
5. Space Part 2: Perspective by Jim Saw, a lecture from Art 104: Design and Composition, Palomar College  (Part 1 is here: Space)

Free Workshop on Lightroom 4 from creativeLIVE

Here's another freebie for you, girls and boys.  

What? A workshop on Lightroom 4 Fundamentals  presented by Laura Shoe.  "In this three day workshop, learn the fundamentals of Lightroom 4, concentrating on the Library, Map and Develop modules where you organize, edit, and fix and enhance your photos and videos."

When? March 29 - 31, 2012 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)

Where? online at creativeLIVE

Cost? FREE!

And More! - Added 3/16/2012
If you're not busy this weekend, you can watch the free 3-day6 workshop Posing Masterclass with Bambi Cantrell at creativeLive (click on "live", upper left).  (The workshop started today but there may be a re-play of today's live broadcast later today or tomorrow morning.)  I recently got home from work so I've only watched about 10 minutes, but knew I had to share this with you.   Ms. Cantrell is an enthusiastic, humorous, and knowledgeable photographer and instructor.  Catch this free workshop to learn the art, science, and business of posing.

Project 52, Week 11, Foreground, Background, and Everything in Between

To add depth and dimension to a photograph, consider the foreground, middle ground, and background.

Foreground: the area of the scene closest to the camera
Middle ground: the area between the foreground and background
Background: the area farthest from the camera

Some things to consider:

• Do you have an interesting element in the foreground that leads the eye into the photograph or that "anchors" the scene?Do you have leading lines - lines that lead you from the foreground through the middle ground to the background? Some examples of leading lines: a road, a fence, a walkway, a shadow, a ray of light
• Can you use depth of field to emphasize one section?  Blurring the background can make the foreground elements "pop out"; blurring the foreground can add a sense of distance between the "front" of the scene to the middle ground or background; keeping all the sections in focus, with other compositional techniques such as layering, can create a sense of great depth between the front and back of the photo.
• Where is the horizon?  If it's higher in the picture it emphasizes the foreground, if it's lower it creates a stronger background.
• Do you have layers, such as a bench in the foreground, a fountain in the middle ground, and a building in the background?

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Photography Composition - Foreground, Middleground, Background by Gregory Cazillo; 10 minute YouTube video showing examples of photos with Mr. Cazillo explaining the Foreground, Middle ground, and Background; not the most professional tutorial but good descriptions for the examples ranging from landscapes to interiors to baby portraits.
2. Learning Composition - Foreground, Middleground, Background by John Watson from Photodoto; short article pertaining to photos with focus on all three areas
3. Depth-of-Field and Focus by Klaus Schroff with photos by Michael Wagner - short article with illustrations, and Composition in Nature Photography and the Elements of a Photograph 2 by Gloria Hopkins - short section on Background and Foreground; from photoinf.com
4. Placing the Horizon Line from Fodor's Focus on Travel Photography; short article with tips and photos
5. Composition - Depth of Field from Kevin Hail Photography; short article on placing subject in foreground or background
6. More Compositional Elements by Suzanne Williams from Steve's Digicams; short section on Background and Foreground
7. Photography Composition, Part Two.html and Foreground and Depth of Field from Rocky Mountain Photography; medium sized articles with photos

2012 Project 12-52-365
2012 Project 12, Month 3, Depth and Dimension

Project 52, Week 10, Depth of Field (DOF)

Effective use of depth of field can add depth and dimension to a photo.  Depth of field (DOF) is the area of the scene that is in acceptable focus. 

• If you have a very shallow depth of field, only the subject itself will be in focus.  The area behind the subject will be blurry.  This is also referred to as "narrow DOF".
• If you have a deep depth of field, the entire picture will be in focus.  This is also referred to as "great DOF" or "extended DOF".

This can be more complicated than it sounds and takes practice to perfect.  There are 3 things that affect the depth of field:

1. Aperture - refers to the lens opening that allows light to enter the camera and reach the sensor (or film)
• the larger the aperture the shallower the depth of field
• The size of the opening is indicated by the F-stop; the larger the F-stop the smaller the opening.  [Think of this the same way you do fractions - 1/2 of a pie is bigger than 1/4, 1/4 is bigger than 1/8, and so on, just as an aperture of F-2 is wider than one of F-4 which is wider than F-8, and so on]
2. Distance - the distance between the camera and the subject
• the greater the distance between the camera and the subject, the greater the depth of field
• the shorter the distance, the shallower the depth of field
3. Focal length - basically, the distance from the lens to the sensor (film)
• the longer the focal length, the shallower the depth of field
• the shorter the focal length, the greater the depth of field
• wide angle lens (such as 21 - 35 mm) have a greater depth of field than telephoto lenses (greater than 70 mm) ["Normal" lenses are generally considered to have a focal length of 35 - 70 mm, usually 50 mm.]

Use a shallow depth of field to focus attention on the main subject. 

• This helps you to apply the composition rule Simplify.
• This is frequently used for portrait and nature photography.
• Usually you will want the subject to be in sharp focus, but you might try blurring the subject and having something else, perhaps a contrasting element, in focus

Use a deep depth of field to include all elements in the scene. 

• This is frequently used for landscape photography (but a shallower depth of field can also be effective).
• Don't make the scene too "busy" or your story will get lost.

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples:

1. Depth of Field by Joe Hinshaw and Steve Anderson from School of Media Arts & Design, James Madison University; interactive depth of field tutorial
2. Depth of Field Explained by Steve Basiter and and Peter Bargh from ePhotozine; medium size article with pictures of camera settings
3. DOFMaster; calculators, articles, FAQs
4. To Blur of Not to Blur from Photography in Malaysia; article and photos
5. Effective use of hyperfocal focusing for wide angle landscape photos by Rod Barbee from Barbee Photo; article with photos and tables
6. Tutorials: Depth of Field from Cambridge in Color; an article including "Circle of Confusion" and DOF calculators
7. Depth of Field and Diffraction by Norman Koren from Norman Koren.com; article includes several tables, complicated formulas, and discussion of diffraction

Learning Videos:

1. Photography 1 on 1: Depth of Field by Mark Wallace from AdoramaTV; a 7 minute video
2. Photography tutorial - depth of field by Scott Muller from Total Image; a 4 minute YouTube video
3. Canon EOS - Getting Started: Depth of Field Photography from Cannon Australia; a 3 minute YouTube video
4. Understanding Depth of Field in Digital Photos from Dummies.com; 2 minute video
5. Lens Focal Length by Darren Cole; a 5.5 minute video lecture on focal length

Bonus Learning Opportunities for Aperture and Focal Length:

1. Back to the Basics: Aperture/F-Stop part 2 by Valerie Hayken from VH Photography & Design, Photo-Talk; brief explanation of F-stops and the relationship to DOF
2. Photography 1 on 1: Aperture Values by Mark Wallace from AdoramaTV; an 8 minute YouTube video with thorough discussion on apertures, focal length, and aperture values
3. Understanding Camera Lenses from Cambridge in Colour; explanation of focal length with tables and drawings as well as photos
4. Lens Focal Length from Paragon Press; an article with comparative photos
5. The Use of Focal Length in Landscape Photography by Wim van Velzen from photoinf; an article with pictures

Project 12, Month 3, Depth and Dimension

Photographs, by nature, are only two dimensional (height and width).  This month we review techniques to add a third dimension, depth.  Composing a shot with depth and dimension can turn a snapshot into a photograph.

Some techniques for creating depth and dimension

• Use the Rule of Thirds - put your subject off-center
• Depth of field - refers to the portion of the scene that is in acceptable focus
• Layering  
• Include foreground elements - such as a meadow in front of a lake in front of a mountain in front of a sky
• Use silhouettes
• Use reflections
• Natural framing - for example, use tree branches to frame a lake scene
• Visual lines
• Converging lines - such as railroad tracks that appear wider in the foreground and narrower as they go into the scene
• Leading lines - such as a winding road leading into the background
• Placement of the horizon
• Dwindling sizes of like subjects - such as a photo of a row of trees taken from an angle that makes the trees in front appear taller than the trees at the far end of the row
• Point of view - get low and shoot up, get high and shoot down
• Design elements
• Color
• Light
• Texture

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples:

1. Composition Basics: That's Deep by Jeff Wignall from Adorama; an article with photos
2. Composition; Creating a Sense of Depth from Coldsnap Photography; an article with photos
3. Maximizing Perspective and Depth in Your Photography by Simon Bray from phototuts+; an article with photos
4. Perspective from NAVY training manual; article with b/w photos
5. Photography 101 Rules for Composition: Create Depth by Benjamin Yoder from examiner.com; short article with 2 pictures - one "good" example and one "bad" example
6. Visual Design Elements: Perspective from Ultimate Photo Tips; an article with photos
7. Architecture Photography: Top 10 Tips for Creating Breathtaking Architecture Photos by Thomas Holtkötter from Fotoblur; Pictures illustrating depth and dimension

See the page 2012 Project12-52-365 for a complete list of the topics.