Project 12, Month 5, Environment

For month 5 of Project 12, we're going to look at the environment (the world around you) and how to incorporate it as an element of composition.   The environment is always there no matter where you are.  Don't ignore it, use it to enhance the composition.  .

Things to consider:

• The environment is to the front, back, and sides of your main subject.
• The environment should complement the subject.  It should not be distracting.
• Eliminate clutter.  Keep the environment simple.
• Don't let the environment overwhelm the subject. Sometimes you will need to blur the background or foreground (using depth of field) to make the environment more simple. Or zoom in and "fill the frame" with your subject.
• The composition of many photos is improved by including a pertinent or interesting foreground element.  The element should complement the subject, not compete with it.  It may even "point" to the subject.
• On the other hand, you may use the environment to "shock" the viewer. Consider the different feelings created by a lion sitting majestically in a jungle compared to a lion sitting cramped in a small cage or sprawling comfortably in the middle of your bed. 
• Use the environment to naturally frame your subject.
• Don't let the environment do weird or awkward things to your subject.  For example, don't let a tree or pole grow out of the top of your subject's head.  (I actually saw this recently on a professional wedding photographer's web site. It took a while to realize the groom was supposed to be leaning against the light pole.  It appeared that the photographer was using the pole as a compositional element and had purposefully placed the broad-shouldered groom directly in front of a skinny light pole.  I don't know if she noticed that the pole appeared to be sticking right out of the top of his head.)
• Move it! If you can't move the subject, move you or the camera when necessary to eliminate unfortunate, distracting, or ugly elements.

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Framing by Nate Kay from Photography Blogger; photographs representing natural framing - some very good, some not so much
2. Backgrounds and Foregrounds by Jim Zuckerman from MAC-ON-CAMPUS; short, illustrated articles
3. Watch the Background by Theresa A Husarick from Composition Refresher/Wild Things Photogrpahy

Another way to look at this theme is to consider the environment the subject of your photographs.  The elements of composition you include in your photos should enhance the story about the environment that you're trying to tell through your photographs

•  "Environmental Photography is essentially story telling with a camera rather than with pen and paper. In order to tell a complete story it is crucial to be able to photograph a wide range of subjects."  from Environmental Photography: Blending Art and Activism by Randy Beacham at Nature Photographers
• I have a soft spot for old buildings and am simultaneously drawn and repulsed by photographs for urban decay.  Evaluate the composition of these 35 Examples of Surprisingly Beautiful Urban Decay Photography from Blue Blots.  How do they make you feel?  Are they telling the story well?
• For other examples, look at Dean Riggott Photography portfolios for Farm Life and  Campus Life.

Project 52, Week 18, Interaction of lines

This week we put everything together and look for composition with different types of lines.

The photo Leading Lines Curved on Photo Junkie illustrates leading lines, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines,curves, irregular lines and converging lines. 

This short article on How to Use Lines in Photography Compositions by Ron Bigelow  from PICTURECORRECT has 3 photographs illustrating composition with lines.

• The first photograph shows a fence with vertical and horizontal lines.  The shore line is irregular.  The fence goes from front to back and, in the background, stretches part way across the horizon.
• The railroad yard in the second photo shows vertical lines, straight lines, curved lines, diagonal lines, and converging lines.
• The last picture, "tube" illustrates arcs, curved lines, converging lines, straight lines, and horizontal lines.  Do you think the posters represent C-curves?

Peter Grossman's photo Two in One only shows straight lines, but they are vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and zigzag.  They definitely are interacting.

Things to consider:

• Do the multiple lines create an unpleasant, unsettling scene or do they make the scene and story more interesting and vibrant?
• Tip: Yes can be the correct answer for either choice.

Project 52, Week 17, Converging Lines

Let's get it together and look for converging lines this week.   Converging lines are two or more parallel lines that appear to become closer together at the farthest end from the camera. 

Things to consider:

• Converging lines can be straight or curved.
• They add dimension and depth to a photo.
• Leading lines are frequently converging lines.
• Be careful where you place converging lines - they may lead the eye completely out of the photograph.
• Avoid vertical converging lines in architectural photography

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples:

1. How to Use Converging Lines to Enhance Your Photography by Darren Rouse from Digital Photography School, short article with photographic example
2. 20 Examples of Converging Lines from Tobky Photography Blog
3. 1 Minute with Willy - Converging Lines by Willy Foo from BananaManaTV; short YouTube video
4. When Are Converging Verticals and Lines a Good Thing from ePHOTOzine
5. How to Photography - Avoiding Converging Lines in Architecture Photography by Matthew Bamberg from PHOTOGRAPHYTIPS  (Sometimes you have to break a rule to keep a rule.)

Project 52, Week 16, Leading Lines

This week we use leading lines to improve our composition.  Leading lines are lines, real or implied, that direct our attention to the subject or that lead our eye into and through the scene. 

Things to consider:

• Leading lines can create a sensation of dynamic energy, graceful movement, distance, or dimension.
• Because most of us read left to right, we are used to viewing photographs that way so in many compositions it's better to have the lines go left to right. 
• But sometimes right to left improves the composition or maybe that's just the way the road goes. 
• And sometimes the lines goes front to back.
• Or even up and down.
• Slanted lines are usually better than straight up and down or straight across
• Leading lines can be straight, curved, diagonal, irregular, or even spiral. 
• Common leading lines are roads, fence rows, walls, walkways, and rows of plants, but leading lines can also be light rays or shadows, human limbs or a tree branch, a row of tombstones or a row of soldiers, a stair railing or stairway, just about anything can create a visual leading line.
• You can have more than one leading line in the same scene.  
• Don't just stand there.  Move around your subject, looking for the most appropriate leading line or lines.

Recommended Readings and Pictorial Examples:

1. Jim Zuckerman on Composition: Leading Lines from mac-on-campus; a little lecture between lots of pictures
2. Follow the Leading Lines from Family Travel Photos.com; a short article and accompanying photos
3. Leading Lines - Photography Composition by Nate Kay from Photography Blogger; over two dozen photographic examples of leading lines. Some are more leading than others.
4. Leading Lines by Darrel Priebe; a pdf document on 3 compositional elements - leading lines are on pages 2 - 8 from the Thousand Oaks Personal Computer Club
5. Bill Fortney  on Leading Lines - also talks about filters and camera positioning in this YouTube video:

Project 52, Week 15, Curves

This week we look at curves.  

Things to consider:

• Curve types include C-curves, S-curves, radials, arcs, and spirals. 
• Curved lines can imply slow, sensual motion or fast action.
• An S - curve is considered especially pleasing to the eye and is often found in nature.  A S-curve can be be seen in a winding road or river, the curve of a flamingo's neck, or the human body.
• A C-curve is almost as dynamic as an S-curve.  A C-curve can be seen in the shoreline of lakes, rivers, and coves, arcs and arches, and body parts such as pinnas.
• Curved lines can be leading lines.  Diagonally placed curved lines are effective as leading lines as they draw the viewer into more parts of the scene.
• Curves can be man-made or natural.  They can be implied or suggested by shapes, groups of objects, or by the placement/positioning of subjects.
• A closed curve is a circle which is a shape, more than a line. 

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Using Curves to Enhance Composition by Brian Auer from Epic Edits; many photos with good examples of using curves in different ways.
2. Curves in Composition by Scott Simmons from Learn Outdoor Photography; short article with 2 photos.  One illustrates creating a curve by the placement of objects.
3. Focus on Composition: The S-Curve by Mike Panic  from Light Stalking; short article with 3 examples
4. S Curve Composition from photo.net; just photographs of S-curves
5. Digital Photography School - How to Photograph a Rainbow from Enchanting Kerala; tips on photographing rainbows with accompanying pictures.
6. 33 Interesting Photos That Use Spirals for Composition from Light Stalking
7. The C Curve by Abid Changazi from Trekens; a photography of a C-curve created with 9 mm bullets.