Project 52, Week 31, Sunrise Sunset

You'll need to get up early and/or go to bed late for this week's topic as we'll be shooting in the golden hours to capture the sun rising and setting.

Shooting a Sunrise with Rick Sammon.  Mr. Sammon has a new feature, Sunset Saturday, on his photography blog where he will publish selected sunset photos submitted by his readers. 

Things to consider:

• Focus on composition to make your sunrise/sunset photos stand out.  (Accidental pun)
• Consider the Rule of Thirds when composing your sunrise/sunset photo by placing the sun off-center. 
• Most sunrise/sunset pictures are horizontal landscapes.  Try some vertical shots.
• Look behind you.  The sun may be creating "special effects" on a subject just over your shoulder that you'll miss if you don't turn around.
• Slightly underexpose to bring out the colors.
• The best colors are often seen just before or after a storm or rain.
• Get there early!  You need to scout the location and set up your camera before the sun gets up or goes to bed.  A sunrise/sunset calculator can be helpful in getting there on time.
• Stay late!  You'll get the photographs that others miss.
• Bring a flashlight!  It may be dark before you begin or after you finish.  It can be rough walking in unfamiliar terrain and it may be difficult to set your camera controls if you can't see them.  (Bonus: Maybe you could try a little light painting while you're there.)
• Avoid looking directly into the sun, staring into the sun, or pointing your camera lens at the sun for a prolonged period.

Suggested Reading and Photographic Examples:

1. 30 Tips for stunning sunset photography by Jim Harmer at Improve Photography; short but useful tips
2. Sunrises and Sunsets at Ron Bigelow Photography; illustrated article that includes comparison photos
3. 40 Breathtaking Examples of Serene Sunrise Photography and 52 Dazzling Examples of Sunset Photography by Bill Jones at The PhotoArgus; just photos
4. How To Shoot Heavenly Sunrises and Sunsets Anywhere by Jeff Wignall at Adorama; moderate length illustrated article
5. Sunset Photography Settings and Tips by Nick Carter at learnmyshot.com
6. 7 Steps to Perfect Sunrise Sunset Photos at Yanik's Photo School;short illustrated article
7. Sunset and Sunrise Photography: Five Tips by Andrew Goodall at Nature's Image Photography Weblog; short illustrated article
8. Sunset Photography by Roie Galitz at DIY Photography; illustrated article (a little different)
9. Shooting Sunsets and Sunrises Over Water at Mountain High Workshops; a pdf document
10. 12 tips for Photographing Sunrises and Sunsets by Darrin Rouse at Digital Photography School

Project 52, Week 30, Light

So far this month we've used light to create reflections, silhouettes, and shadows.  This week we create photographs of light, or light sources.

This is a photograph of waiting room in Union Station, Chicago, Illinois, taken in 1943 by Jack Delano.  The light rays are the main subject, but also act as frames for the 2 people in front.

Things to consider:

• Light can add an uplifting mood to a photo.
• Rays of light can be leading lines
• Light can be used as frames.
• Light can be the main subject.
• Use long exposure times to create photographs of "light trails" or for "light painting"

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Natural Light in Photography at Cambridge in Colour
2. Rays of Light - 30 Magical Photographs at WDCore Editorial
3. Photograph the Light not the Land by Darrin Rouse at Digital Photography School; photographic examples
4. 5 Photo Composition Hints. The Fifth Element- Light at ShotAddict
5. Taking Photos in Fog, Mist, and Haze at Cambridge in Colour; illustrated article (you may need to study some of these photos closely to see that they are pictures of light)
6. Leading Lines of Light at Lori Kolbenschlag Photography
7. Creating Your Own Rays of Sunlight (in Photoshop) at Smash&Peas'
8. Qualities of Light at Garry Black Photography

More specific topics:

1. How to Shoot Light Trails by Darrin Rouse at Digital Photography School; illustrated article
2. Photographing Car Light Trails at Photography Mad; illustrated article
3. How to Photograph Candles at Photography Mad; illustrated article
4. Steel Wool Photography Tutorial by Evan Sharboneau at PhotoExtremist ; an 8 minute YouTube video
5. How to Photograph Fireworks at NYIP; illustrated article
6. How to Photograph Christmas Lights at Strobist; illustrated article
7. How to Photograph Lightning at Weatherscapes
8. Stalking the Wild Firefly [lightning bug] at The Iowa Source; interview by Christine Schrum with Radim Schreiber
9. How to Photograph the Northern Lights with a Digital Camera by Patrick J Endres at Alaska Photography Blog; not a short article but interesting with lovely photos, tables, and graphs.
10. Light Painting Photography at Light Painting Photography; many different articles - some stuff looks "too dangerous to try at home" 

Project 52, Week 29, Shadows

This week's topic is shadows.  Photographers often try to eliminate or control shadowsthrough lighting techniques, but without some shadows subjects can appear dull and flat.  However, this week isn't about "lighting" an object, it's about using the light to create photographs with shadows.

Things to Consider:

• Shadows can add drama and set the mood.
• Shadows can create leading lines, add contrast, be used as framing, or establish depth.
• Shadows can be the focal point of a subject with or without including the object casting the shadow.
• You don't need a strong light source to cast an interesting shadow. (from Harold Davis's article below.) 
• Shadows are longest at sunrise and sunset and very short at noon.

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. Natural Light in Photography at Cambridge in Colour
2. Photographing Shadows: The Basics by Anshum Madore at Fotoflock; short, illustrated article
3. Eight Great Ways to Include Shadows in Your Pictures from DIY Photography; suggestions for compositions with shadows
4. Photographing Shadows at Shutterbug; a few good hints
5. Using Shadows to Enhance Your Compositions at photoble; several examples with brief narratives
6. How to Use Shadows to Enhance Your Composition by Harold Davis at Amazon.com; a short article with accompanying examples
7. 17 Fantastic Examples of Using Shadows to Enhance Photographic Composition at Light Stalking; just pictures
8. Photographing Shadows and Seeing and Photographing Shadows: Using a Key Visual Element at Photographic Digital Photography Guide; short, illustrated articles
9. The Ultimate Guide to Shadow Play at Photojojo; article with different ideas than other links
10. Rembrandt Lighting and Chiaroscuro by PhotoshopMama; 4 minute YouTube video on portrait photography. 

Project 52, Week 28, Silhouettes

Remember that old song Two Silhouettes on the Shade?  That's the theme song for our composition project this week.  Silhouettes can be dramatic, adding depth, dimension, mood, and mystery to a picture.

Things to consider:

• The light must be behind the subject.
• Expose for the background, not the subject, but remember to focus on the subject.
• When you want a dramatic silhouette, set the EV to -1 or -2 (Rick Sammon in Exploring the Light)
• Silhouette subjects should be distinctive shapes.  Remember to move you and/or the subject up, down, left, right, and all around to find the best angle.
• Keep the horizon line low (if there is a horizon). 

Suggested Readings and Photographic Examples:

1. How to Photograph Silhouettes by Darren Rouse at Digital Photography School; short articles with pictures. 
2. 5 Tips for Photographing Silhouettes by Steve Berardi at Digital Photography School; short articles with pictures.
3. Truly Breathtaking Examples of Silhouette Photography by WDCore Editorial  at WebDesignCore
4. How to Take Silhouette Photos - a Tutorial at Rebecca Spencer Photography
5. Silhouette by Steve Hermitage Photo; 5 minute YouTube video on composing a tabletop silhouette scene indoors with toy dinosaurs; unfortunately it only includes 1 photo, but this looks like a fun project
6. How to Photograph and Edit Silhouettes-Part 1 and Part 2 by Jodi Friedman at MCP Actions; article with photos; includes Photoshop tips
7. Photographing Silhouettes by Scott Simmons at Learn Outdoor Photography
8. How to Photograph Silhouettes at Enchanging Karala.org, School of Digital Photography
9. Photography - Silhouettes by Kristie Hegarty Wilson at Pinterest
10. Wedding photography: Phenomenal Photography Silhouettes at junebug Weddings and How to Take Silhouettes by Christopher Lin at PhotographyTips

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 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.

A New Project

During my studies and research, I have read several articles that suggested photographers study pictures taken by professional photographers to help improve their own skills in lighting and composition.  One of the NYIP photographers said that when she started, she had studied the lighting in photographs.  An article I read this summer recommended that the new photographer start a scrapbook using magazine pictures.  It gave me the idea to create a digital scrapbook or album using on-line pictures.

I chose Composition as the theme for my project and not only have I enjoyed creating the album, I found it to be a fun way to learn more about photography.  Composition is a very broad topic and my project is still a work in progress even though I’m up to 180 PowerPoint slides.  I may have to divide it into several different files if it gets much larger. 

Here’s the outline for a "course" on making a Photography scrapbook to enhance your photography skills if you’re interested.  There’s more information about what I did on the page Project: Photography Composition .

1. Choose an electronic medium.
2. Choose a theme
3. Start your album
4. Divide the theme into appropriate sections if it’s a broad topic
5. Create a Table of Contents (with hyperlinks to each section if you have 180 pages!) 
6. Add the pictures
7. Learn more
8. Practice what you learn.
9. Take your own photographs and add them to the project.
10. Keep learning