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

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)