A Crash Course in Photographic Composition

1. Intro to Composition: - hello and welcome to a crash course in photographic composition. - For those of you have taken my DSLR crash course. - You know, - this class has been a long time income, - and I'm glad that things finally here a note about the format for those of you have taken a - skill share online or hybrid class before. - You may be expecting a live video feed or a Web cam feed. - Then the today I decided that it was best for you not to have me talking at you for 30 - minutes on and said just to present the content first along with an audio narration. - So here we go about this class. - What are we going to learn and do the gold? - This class is to de mystify and to simplify compositions. - Um Thean goal. - That is to have everybody learn how to take better pictures. - Uh, - part of things. - One of the things we're going to do is Teoh. - Learn the rules that some conceptual rules of composition on and then have you start - breaking with rules towards the we are going to approach the subject. - From an analytical point of view, - it's going to basically break down a bunch of image images and and we're gonna talk about - why certain images working? - Maybe. - Why certain images do now, - What are we not going to do? - We're not gonna talk much about gear. - There will be a little bit about gear, - how certain lenses can help you achieve your goal. - But for the most part, - this is a class that you can take with your camera phone or your point and shoot, - and you need not have, - ah fancy, - expensive camera to get the most out of this class. - We're also not going to talk much about content, - meaning in otherwise get Artie or two metaphorical. - I think there's immense value and the things above, - but it's beyond the scope of this class. - However, - during the pure review part this class where you post your pictures onto the skills your - project page, - feel free to take your your commentary and feedback to your fellow students in that direct - . - If you spot something particularly engaging, - but a photo that has nothing to do with its composition feel free to to let your classmates - know, - was this class for I've designed this class event. - Just about anybody, - uh, - has a camera can take it, - uh, - requires zero technical aptitude. - It doesn't require that you know anything about photography or know anything about exposure - or gear, - equipment or software. - Even the people. - We're probably gonna get the most out of this class or there was a view picked up a camera - for the first time, - a little bit about the format. - We are going to introduce concepts, - first, - compositional concepts. - And then I'm going to demonstrate those concepts with some visual examples, - both from my work and the work of other photographers. - And we're gonna do it over and over again until you recognize there's concepts and can - execute them in your own work. - What makes a picture interesting? - I would say that they're two broad categories of things and make a picture interesting. - The first is content. - The contents refers to the subject matter of an image. - Essentially one is in the image heart. - They're interesting things in the image. - Does it have brightened vivid colors? - Does it show you something you've never seen before? - The second thing is how all that content is arranged in your photo. - Essentially, - if you have something interesting, - how do you present it? - In a way that is visually or aesthetically appealing, - and this is what we're really gonna talk about. - So in that light, - we're gonna talk about things like balance and ratios, - lights and darks, - perspectives or lack of perspective, - death or lack of death. - We're gonna talk about lines and shapes and geometry, - triangle circles, - etcetera. - For this module, - we're gonna talk really about two broad categories of concepts. - The first has to do a subject placement in balance and ratios. - The second really has to do with use of distinct four grounds. - Can backgrounds to enhance depth and to give you you give you a sense of being drawn into - into the picture. - First off, - let's talk a little bit about the frame, - and what I mean by the frame is the aspect ratio of your camera. - Most camera shooting two by three This is the equivalent of a four by six print. - It's the same ratio and most cameras these days shooting this format. - However, - some of you might be shooting in square format. - Those of you armed with mean for about six by six or rol a flex might be shooting in this - format or those of you armed with a smartphone and Instagram will also be shooting in this - form. - Application of compositional concepts will differ a little bit between rectangular and - square format. - We're going to talk a little bit about both. - Okay, - subject placement and balance. - A quick note about subject placement and formats If you're shooting to buy three. - Ah, - I would try not placing your subject in the middle of the frame, - uh, - for square format that actually works look better. - But in either case, - we're gonna talk about the rule of thirds and how to apply the rule of thirds when it comes - this subject placement. - Take this image, - for example. - It was, - ah from a client engagement shoot. - And while it's kind of an interesting picture due to the subject matter, - I think that it lacks a little bit compositionally. - In fact, - that would argue that this picture will be better off if we place the subjects off the - decide. - Same with this photo and these photos and this photo. - So in each of these photos, - the subject is somewhere not in the center of the image to the left, - that rights. - But it's not dead center. - One more example from Henry Card a person who is on the list of photographers you all - should be reviewing this week. - Ah, - here personas puts his subject right here, - which is again not in the center of the photo. - So all this to say, - Get your subject off the center. - But why? - Why do we do this? - Why? - Does it look good? - No. - What informs this decision? - Well, - the simplest reason for this is the famous or rather infamous rule of thirds. - The rule of thirds is something you will most likely have heard of or read about. - They're really two camps to applying the rule of thirds and photography. - The first says the rule of thirds can be a useful tool in creating compositionally - attractive pictures. - The second camp says this is a limiting tool and you should not use it. - And even teaching it is doing a disservice to your students. - I fall in the first camp. - Our professors tend following the second care. - So how do we apply this? - This image, - which you saw earlier, - is divided neatly into Call it two sections. - The background takes up the top third of the image in the foreground in middle ground. - Take the bottom third of the image. - You'll also find that I have sub divided the upper right hand quadrant into further thirds - in have placed my subject or the focal point of my subject here on one of the vergis ease. - The rule of thirds essentially says that if you can manage to divine your image along these - lines, - whether vertically or horizontally and if you can manage to put one of your focal points in - your image along these Vergis is essentially where these lines intersect. - Uh, - you're well on your way of making a more compositionally interesting image. - Okay, - I admit that this rule is simple and maybe limiting, - but I think there is value to it. - For example, - on this image, - I've placed my subject on the verge ISI here. - How to put it smack in the middle of the center of the image, - I think would have been OK, - but I think it's a little more compelling right here. - Same with these two images. - You'll find the subjects along the left line here, - and you'll find that in the image on the left, - the foreground, - which is the grass, - roughly takes up 1/3 of the image in the bottom and the background roughly takes up the - other 2/3 you'll find, - then re cardio person use this effects rather effectively for this image. - The left side of the image, - which is the dark background, - takes up roughly this 1/3. - Well, - his foreground roughly takes up the right 2/3. - You also noticed that he's placed his subject right where these two vergis ease right where - these two lines intersect. - So the rule of thirds is essentially a simplified application of the golden ratio. - What is the golden ratio you say? - Well, - the gold ratio could be defined as a ratio of 1.618 to 1. - More specifically, - the golden ratio refers to a naturally occurring ratio that we humans tend to find - aesthetically pleasing. - And because of that, - you can find it in art and architecture, - classical art, - classical architecture, - Um, - fairly, - fairly consistently throughout history. - A more technical description of what the golden ratio is is that the golden ratio is where - the length a plus B here, - huh? - The ratio of sorry, - the ratio of April's be to a is the same as ratio of A to be here. - We have a rectangle divided into two sections. - The section on the left is 1.618 times bigger than section on the right, - and photographers have discovered it. - If you condemn vine your photo into sections like these hi, - people tend to find these images a little more aesthetically pleasing. - Either these rectangles were there on the left or the right can be further divided into - smaller sections of 1.618 to 1. - If you do so, - for example, - in this picture you will end up dividing the picture into several of these smaller - rectangles. - And if you draw a line from the corner of one rectangle, - toe another and continue it, - you get this spiral. - And this spiral is actually something you might find in nature, - For example, - in a conscious shell and where the spiral concludes here can often be a an interesting - place to place your subject. - For example, - here, - Carney person used this to great effect. - Uh, - and he placed this subject for the focal point of this image. - Right here you'll notice that there are blue diagonal lines here. - The blue diagonal lines also do a good job of approximating where that focal point could be - these Magnum, - where lines could be drawn from all corners of the image. - But we'll show it to you just with this one. - We'll talk more about diagonals in the following weeks, - but this is just to give you an idea. - Elliott Erwitt is also on your list of photographers, - and you'll see that Erwitt used both the rule of thirds will use the rule of thirds. - Really in two ways. - You'll see that this image is roughly divided into two turds on the left and went through - on the right, - and you'll find that he's place this subjects on the right hand side, - where the float is coming behind the building and on the left, - where the Children are looking out the window back. - Teoh one. - My original images here. - Ah, - you'll see that the subject roughly is where this point is a little bit about square format - . - For this image, - I've placed my subject roughly 1/3 from the top of the but if otherwise made the image - symmetrical from left to right. - There is roughly the same Mount amount of visual weight of left side, - as there is on the right side of the image insane. - With this image, - Subjects head. - He is roughly 1/3 from the top, - but left and right, - a relatively symmetrical. - You can also make it asymmetrical, - and in this case, - I placed my subject right around here. - So that is the golden ratio on its fairly simple, - somewhat argue. - Too simple. - But I believe it to be a valuable tool, - nothing less. - Now let's move on and talk about distinct four grounds and backgrounds. - It is sink, - foreground or background can help draw your eye to the subject. - It can help create a sense in depth, - and it can also frame your subject. - Using a distinct foreground. - Indistinct background can help you maximize a sense of death in an image. - Ah, - and later modules will talk a little bit more about how to actually reduce the sense of - death and have abstracts, - uh, - in image. - Before. - Now, - let's talk about creating a sense that so back to this image members on you'll notice that - he has a distinct background here. - Distinct foreground here in the foreground is actually serving to frame his image or a - subject here. - For these two images, - you'll notice a distinct foreground here. - Distinct background here and a mid ground where the subjects are located here, - back to person. - On this image. - On the left, - you'll notice a foreground here, - this subject here, - a background here, - terms of the image on the right. - The foreground is comprised mostly of the street, - which draws your eyes, - that a subject here of the man interacting with the cats and you'll find the background - distinct from the foreground. - Mid ground here, - another image from results. - You'll see he's created distinct foreground here with these subjects, - but something going interesting going on in the mid ground and something distinct on the - plain as the background in this portrait person uses. - Parakeets are birds here in the foreground, - um, - distinct from subject in mid ground and distinct also from background. - Once more, - Uh, - you'll see he's put this rusted car in the foreground but trained again in the mid ground, - which is this subject and a distinct background with landscape here. - Okay, - so back to this image. - How does foreground and background apply? - You'll see the foreground here with the vertical lines draws your eye to the mid ground. - Here, - the subject takes up most of the middle part, - but it is also distinct from the background in terms of tone and color. - Here for this image of the form ground is here. - Subject is here in the background is here, - and once more you'll see the foreground draws your eye to the subject in the foreground, - roughly takes up this 1/3 of the image in the background in the ground. - Take of this tooth once again. - With this image, - you'll find the foreground here, - subject here in background here. - If we look at this image again, - you'll find that the former around, - which is the doors here, - creates a sense of death that is different from the mid ground, - which is what the spot of light is, - which is different and distinct from the background. - Here in this portrait, - I've placed my foreground here, - subject in the middle and a distinct background here. - Okay, - now back the decision. - One specific application of using distinct four grounds and backgrounds is that you can - often use the foreground to frame your subject, - and Cartier Bresson uses the great effect with this subject here or for these two. - I have used the foreground and created a literal frame here the background here and on the - right image I've created again a literal frame. - Uh, - by shooting through these windows, - this photographer decided to take it literally and use a frame within a camera frame. - And this photographer use this to effect by shooting through a window and framing his - subjects with the foreground created by the window. - And here you have a distinct foreground, - mid ground in background. - But in this case, - the mid ground. - It is what it is. - What is framing your subject here in the foreground. - So this is the end of port one. - We've talked about placement. - We've talked about ratios. - Another words of golden gration. - We've talked about distinct foreground and backgrounds. - So with that knowledge, - I'd like for you to go out and take some pictures. - Your assignment for this week is to utilize the golden ratio in subject placement or - dividing your friend. - I would urge you to get creative and push your application of the golden ratio. - You need not place your subject on one of the vergis ease. - You can further subdivide that image and place your subject on a secondary virtue seasons. - At one of those quadrants you can use the ratio to divide your image in the second separate - parts you can do divided into separate ports and place your subject in a certain way. - There a variety of ways to apply it, - and I would I urge you to explore those. - Second, - I would urge you to take some pictures that happy, - distinct foreground and background. - Look for situations where you can use the foreground to draw your eye into your subject and - look for situations where you can use the foreground of Mandarin mid ground background to - frame your subject. - How, - like Cartier Bresson did, - too, - did with the image we saw a couple frames ago. - So exercises and homework from all you want go out and take some pictures that utilize the - golden ratio. - Use it to inform your subject placement and use it to divide your frame or do both in the - same shop. - Second, - I'd like you to take some pictures that utilize a distinct foreground and a distinct - background. - Attempt to use your foreground to draw your idea subject, - or use your foreground to frame your subject or use your background to frame your subject. - Think about the concept of a frame within a frame. - When you've taken those photos, - I would ah urge that you post those images to the class project page. - I will give constructive feedback as much as I can, - and I would urge you to also to give feedback to your classmates project pages. - Some tips on executing your images for this week of it. - Start small and simple. - I don't try and be too ambitious with your image. - For the 1st 5 or 10 images you shoot. - Just try and get 19 A of how to apply. - UH, - either the concepts we talked about in terms of ah, - the ratio and in terms of using four grounds and frames look for naturally incurring - divisions. - Doorways, - seems lines, - architectural elements and are often good ways to t utilize this. - For example, - placing your subject, - uh, - inside a window and shooting them through the window or putting your subject. - If you're doing portraiture inside a car rolling down the window and shooting them while - they're inside the car, - just make sure to leave some of the car the car frame to frame your subject. - Second cheat. - Yes, - you can cheat. - For most of you, - you probably have a camera that has a grid over laid your on your viewfinder. - This grid is meant to approximate the rule of thirds. - The guidelines are there for a reason. - You should use them. - Uh, - I know your iPhone has it, - and I know most point shoots have it, - though TSL ours may not. - Another thing you can do is find a picture that you like that you think you can copy and - coffee. - There's no shame in doing so. - Chances are it's not gonna look exactly like the original image anyways. - And if you're not selling the image, - it can be a useful exercise in, - ah, - exploring your photographic skills and finally, - crop crop like hell. - Don't be afraid to do so. - Most photographers crop, - and though a lot of them won't like telling you that they do crop their images, - it is highly, - highly useful. - If you can use software like I photo or light room, - they provide pretty handy cropping tools. - But even if you don't shoot the image right the first time, - learning how the crop the photo so that it is compositionally attractive is also a good - lesson to learn. - So that's it for this week's module. - Enjoy your time shooting, - and I don't forget to post your pictures to the class page 2. Geometry and Lines: - and guys. - Welcome to module to crash course in photographic composition. - First off, - thank you, - everybody for your hard work. - I like what I see from your project pages a lot on especially thank you to those who are - taken time Teoh repost new versions of their images or re crowd versions. - Um, - it's encouraging for me to see that you guys are that involved in Are that engaged? - So please keep it coming. - If you have questions, - feel free to ask them, - post them in the discussion pages or email me directly. - Wanted to highlight some shooting tips. - I've posted ah list in the discussions page. - I don't know if all you have seen it. - If not, - please go read them. - But I didn't want to highlight a number of things that I think might help in your in your - homework. - The first is the watch out for distracting elements or quarter. - I'm seeing a bunch of images out there where people are using the rule of thirds a good - effect, - except that there's a lot of stuff going on in the photo. - Um, - there is just there to many things, - distracting that either to me, - items in the image. - Um, - it's hard to know what the look at. - Or even if I do know what the look at. - There are a number of things in the foreground or background that kind of distract from the - focal point, - or they it's hard to see or to get in separation between the subject in the background. - If the background is particularly busy or distracted and same for the four gram, - the second point here relates to first, - and it's don't try to capture too much in your image. - The cliche less is more really does apply here there, - those who make their entire career photography producing very minimalist, - minimalistic images do that for a reason because those images stand out. - Um, - they're often very compositionally strong, - so don't try and capture everything. - If you're taking the time to set up a shot in placing still life objects, - they're doing a still life. - I'd consider putting just a couple of things in there, - or even just one image or a one item in there playing around wit with going more minimal in - your composition. - The third is is also related to first to, - and that's the half a clear subject or focal point. - I'm seeing images that again may have a distinct foreground or background or, - you know, - clearly or literally interpreted the role thirds. - But there's no subject, - and there's no focal point, - you know. - Or if there is one it get. - It's hard to see. - So try and think about having a clear subject or focal point. - I know. - I mean, - the other way to approach it is not to have a single subject or focal point at all. - It's to go completely abstracted where you turn your image itself into 22 dimensional - painting or a graphic. - We're going talk a little bit more about this later. - Finally, - watch your angles on my Bangles. - I mean the angle of attack and angle that you're shooting or images at. - I'm seeing images where you guys are just a couple of degrees to the right or the left, - and you're creating diagonals with lines that are really or otherwise meant to be - horizontal in the image and those slight diagnose air actually distracting from from the - image. - So, - um, - take away here is trying to shoot stuff dead on right in front, - uh, - of your of your subject. - You'll know you when you've accomplished this, - when the horizontal emit horizontal lines in your image are perfectly level or very close - to it. - If they're not, - when you shoot it, - you can always rotate him and an edit that later. - But I would try to get it pretty good out of the camera, - as it another thing is the look of the work of your peers. - And to read the comments, - read the comments of your peers and read my comments. - There are things I'm seeing you guys do that come up again and again in their things that - only certain of you are doing. - But it would be helped and be helpful. - I think, - for you to read my comments on other people's work, - don't try and apply every part of the rule in your image. - You can't always do it all by that mean by that, - I mean, - if you're playing the rule of thirds, - you may have to choose between applying that rule that to divide your image or to applying - that rule in terms of subject placement, - you can't always do both. - I mean, - there are times when you can, - but don't feel compelled to do both um, - I wanted to show you guys this image again. - It's cardio person who you'll see lots of in the next few slides, - but it's pretty clear to see what he did here. - He, - uh, - has his ah is divided his image your neatly into thirds is utilizing frames. - He's boxing, - um, - is different subjects. - And, - you know, - the focal point of, - uh, - subject here on the left is really smacking into one of those. - Vergis is of the rule of thirds. - Okay, - let's talk about diagonals, - and I'm gonna move fairly quickly through this model cause there's a lot to talk about. - Okay, - talk about geometry of lines. - Painters and sculptors have been using geometry for millennia and social photographers. - One of the ways they used the geometry lines and shapes is he's really informed by the - golden ratio. - We've talked about that, - and that's the ratio of 1.61 beats to one come. - But when you use lines and shapes in your images, - those lines and shapes conduce. - Number of things first is that it can divide your images into the favorable proportions - which we've seen, - Um, - just like in the proceeding photo. - You can also draw your eye to the focal point, - so this particularly goes, - are applies for diagonals. - Wagnalls kin really lead your eye into the image or out of the image on if you're not using - diagonals carefully, - for example, - when you're shooting from an angle but not paying attention with the Dagnall lives, - doing those diagonals made may simply leave your eye out of the image and distract from - from what you really want your viewer to be focusing on. - Lines can shapes can also create movement. - They can create stillness, - stability they can take. - It invokes certain emotions in in your images. - Diagonal lines can create a sense of of movement. - Horizontal lines can create a sense of stillness. - Strong vertical lines can evoke strength. - Eso lines conduce a number of things on. - We're gonna We're gonna talk about permanently about diagonals. - But horizontal lines and vertical lines can do a lot as well. - Uh, - lines and shape can also create visual interest, - meaning out lines can simply become very abstracted in geometric and turning to patterns of - textures. - Uh or repeating, - especially repeating lines can turn into patterns and textures. - Langton also create the sense of dimensions sense of death or lines can flatten it. - Uh, - the things like the rule of thirds and things like using a distinct foreground and - background can create dimension. - Or they can flatten it. - And we're gonna be talking a little bit about trying to flatten your images into two - dimensional representations. - In other words, - abstracting your images lines again can be very literal lines. - They can be a physical line that's drawn the image or lamp posts or trees, - or you're very literal or they could be very abstract. - As you can see, - I can be a bunch of items lined up in a row that creative vertical lines. - Or it can be, - you know, - a certain pattern that is, - I don't know in the woodwork that creates a new interesting line. - Eso lines will have to be literal. - They can be abstract, - and they can be. - You can create lines out of several disparate objects. - Do you take away here is that you can employ a dominant line or curve in your photo, - and by doing so, - it can really help create some create your more. - I just create more interest in your photo, - and second is look for repetition off lines repeating vertical, - horizontal or diagonal lines can can really do some cool things in your photos. - So let's talk a little bit more about the diagnosed. - They're sort of two diagonals. - All right, - primary diagonals. - We're gonna talk about, - uh and it's the one, - the two diagonals that cut your images in half from each of the corners. - The one that starts in the bottom left and goes to upper right is that baroque diagonal. - It is the positive Bagnall, - and the one that goes from upper left to bottom right is the sinister or the negative - Dagnall. - Those black lines are the reciprocal they're called reciprocal is because they intercept - intersect the broken, - sinister diagonals at a 90 degree angle and where they intersect, - there was adults. - Excuse me, - is called the I in the I just so happens how to be very close to where the the vergis ease - of your rule of thirds are okay here. - Um, - we have another image by cardio person, - and it's pretty cool image. - And if you start looking at it closely, - you're going to see how he divided his image. - For example, - you can see that the bottom third of the images were just taken up perfectly by the - foreground. - That bench serves as a dividing line. - I also noticed that his subject in the upper left hand corner of the guy framed by the - window just happens to sit on the top dividing line. - And then you also noticed that where that diagonal comes in, - the two heads into subjects full just off of that diagonal end, - you'll notice that he's used a frame within a frame quite nicely toe highlight his subject - . - Another cardio for some peace if you don't see the diagnosed on the diagonals rights here, - and this is a pretty cool composition, - and but it's also pretty simple in that it just has one strong Bagnall running through it - from bottom left to upper right. - This is another cool image by person, - and you'll see some very strong and repetitive lines here, - and his diagonal in this case doesn't run from bottom left upper right in the corners. - However home he's got repeating Dagnall lines going from left to right or really bottom - left upper right, - and then he he kind of uses a reciprocal here. - The stick this gentleman is holding just happened sort of the lie right on that alternative - for the opposite Bagnall light. - And you also notice that he has a bunch of vertical lines here created by that The support - on the stairs. - You're on the railing. - More car neighbors on here. - Um, - most of you, - at this point, - should recognize that he's created again. - A frame within a frame the foreground happens to beat is crumbling wall here. - But what he also does does he also has sort of a subtle Dagnall here. - And this is what I mean by an abstract diagonal line. - The heads of his subjects. - Here the Children create kind of a nice Dagnall. - We're excusing diagonal composition. - Um, - they all kind of fall along this one line again. - You don't have to go to a literal in this case when applying diagonal lines. - So more abstract one, - they're probably harder to see which is why person was such a fantastic photographer. - So when you're when you're doing the homework assignment, - look for both abstract and literal Bagnall lines. - Uh, - here we go again. - Um, - he's got diagonal lines in the line of the divers here, - and we're back to this image. - But this time I wanted to highlight something else. - So the first time we noted that this image in many ways does follow the rule of thirds or - utilizes. - Really, - Do you know the rule of thirds? - But it also has these strong Bagnall lines throughout the image. - This is by Albert Watson, - who is also on your list of photographers to review. - And here he's used strong horizontal lines to create a cool pattern in geometric effect in - the image. - And he also has some Dagnall Lloyds. - So when you're doing your homework this week, - look for opportunities to capture repetitive lines, - whether they be literal in this case or abstract, - as we saw earlier here. - Again, - um, - this person used shadows to great effect to create cool diagonal lines in here again, - this one is cool for a number of reasons, - but the main reason I wanted Teoh highlight it is again the use of Dagnall eyes, - and they're not. - They're not so literal and as they are, - someone abstract. - Some people saying this over built. - It's cool light, - but if you kind of look at it in two dimensions, - you see repeating diagonal shapes and trying. - This image is also pretty cool and that it uses diagonal lines in two ways. - You have a diagonal line of the of the heart shapes. - Stamper painting. - What if it happens to be and uh, - then the diagonal lines going the opposite direction? - This is another kardian percentage. - And, - um, - you've got cool diagonal line coming in from the bottom rights, - which is a leading line, - and we'll get to that. - And he also some strong verticals that repeat themselves. - So there's verticals of the trees and the sign posts, - but also the vertical of his subject. - Walking down more cardio person. - Um, - he's got repeating diagonal lines in that is subject here in the mid ground. - Is that the same exact angle as the statue? - In foreground, - there's a strong bag, - a strong vertical line where that white statue is right about where you know, - 1/3 from the right and, - uh, - just to add another element to it. - The statue the gentleman is holding. - It kind of works on the reciprocal wise, - and it's and so on. - The opposite angle, - maybe 90 degrees shifted from the other diagonal lines. - One more bite Got every Sunday. - Uh, - this one I love because He's got a strong diagonal created by the guy line on the ground, - but he's also got strong horizontal. - Is that kind of repeat themselves? - You'll notice that the four round here just happens to be 1/3 of the image on the bottom. - And then he's got strong horizontal lines recurring throughout. - And a couple of those lines are created simply by that line of heads, - you see, - so it's not again a literal line, - but your lines can be abstract. - Next, - we'll talk about leading lines. - Leading lines are a form of or can be a form of Dagnall lines. - So we've seen lines used in geometric repetitions or repeating lines used Thio thio sort of - create a pattern after, - uh, - diagonals in this case can also be used not just as great geometric shapes, - but they can also lead your eye into the image, - and they can lead your eye out of the image. - And that's what I mean when I say the AG Nell's are a double edged sword. - If you're shooting from an angle, - you're automatically creating diagonal lines with any sort of horizontal line in the image - . - So, - uh, - by horizontal line, - I mean if it's a countertop that's otherwise horizontal, - but you shoot it at an angle that turns into a diagonal line. - If you don't do that intentionally, - that diagonal line doesn't lose its its effect to director gaze. - So I would urge you guys to pay attention to how the diagonal lines are working in your - image. - If you have misplaced a random diagonals running through your image, - they can lead your eye away. - You can lead your eye away from your subject. - On the other hand, - correctly used ag Nell's can lead your eye into the image and create a sense of death and - sort of engage your your viewer. - And those lines are called leading lines. - Leading lines typically start from the foreground or from the cores, - and they draw your eye into the center of the image. - No, - they're always Dagnall, - but more often or not, - you'll see diagonals using this way. - They could also include curves, - and they could be very, - very powerful tools if used correctly. - For example, - this photographer is used a strong leading line, - very literally in the middle of the frame, - and he's also used Dagnall lines coming in from the side. - This photographer has used a diagonal line a little more abstract Lee, - but no less. - Obviously, - with the tree line in the separation of the street from the trees and background, - the Dagnall here may not be as obvious, - but if you look at the line of the mountains, - you'll see that they form a Dagnall on the sinister Dagnall. - This image is a good example of a curve leading line. - These these these roads come in from the sign and the bottom left and right of the image, - and just lead your eye into into the landscape here. - Really, - Erwitt eyes also on your list of photographers. - I believe here. - He's used not only the rule of thirds, - which I think you guys are pretty keen on identifying at this point, - but he's also used that that Pat, - as a leading light on, - draws your eye to the image and bring your eye to the shadowy figure. - Sort of added that Vertex there. - This is an abstract composition that's almost two dimensional and quality on. - It just has this one strong Bagnall running right through the and you'll notice where this - photographer placed the tree just happens to be roughly 1/3 from the right, - roughly 1/3 bottom back then, - this image that you guys saw in the first module. - Well, - not only is this a good example of thirds, - it's also a good example of the leading line is that path starts in the foreground, - destroys your eye straight into the another cardy person here, - um, - that sheet for that, - A long white strip. - He's a good example of the leading line as well. - Start to the bottom left just draws your eye. - This one is particularly interesting in that it sort of conforms that that golden spiral, - Um, - but again, - at its most simple level, - it's another leading line. - It's created, - um, - by using the heads, - the figures of these Children, - one more bite present you're deleting when they're created by the sides of the street and - the tree line. - And they all just happened to point your right directly into into the head of his subject. - You annual noticed his subject. - A strong vertical line just happens. - This sit 1/3 from the right of the photo, - another cool leading line by person created by soldiers here. - If you look closely, - you'll see his subject, - which is the girl peeking out from behind the flag on the left. - This photographer is used leading lines from the left and also kind of from the middle as - well. - Um, - employing the foreground here to sort of draw your eye into the landscape. - I'm gonna talk a little about bid about going abstract, - and this is where we take a three dimensional image of three dimensional scene and compress - it into a two dimensional scene. - We're talking more about it next week, - but I wanted to give you an idea of how this have this concept intersects or works with - lines and diagonals. - For example, - this is a pretty bland scene of a corner of an office building. - But, - um, - it's also sort of an abstract representation of of some triangles in some rectangles and, - uh, - diagonal lines kind of running running through the image. - I would look for opportunities not just to create a sense of that, - but to minimize a sense of death. - If you can manage to minimize that sense of depth than your three dimensional image turns - into a collection of rectangles and triangles and and squares and another shapes and your - images can take on a very graphic or two dimensional effect or feel. - This is pretty simple shot of what looks like a skylight, - but because it's shot at a certain angle because the photographer is maximized a contrast - between white and dark here, - light and dark Here, - Um, - what? - You sees a geometric pattern. - It could simply be a collection of blinds drawn on a white piece of paper. - Same with this image. - Um, - you know, - your your mind tells you. - Okay, - I'm looking at, - you know, - stadium of some sorts. - But if you look at it again, - you know, - I just see, - see circles, - concentric circles. - And I can see you know, - that the negative white space here creating shapes, - 30 images This is, - well, - your your mind tells you you're looking at some collection of straw and wood. - But if you look at it again hey, - I see I see circles. - I see concentric circles, - Another skylight. - You know, - I shot this with my phone, - actually, - and I just local pattern and, - you know, - it was very much a three dimensional skylight is actually arched if you if you look closely - . - But if you look at it from two dimensions so just it turns into a cool geometric pattern. - And same with this image, - it's clearly building a photograph of a building, - but it's also a collection of black rectangles in a great in a white grid. - So we've come to the end of this module, - and I've tried not to make it too long. - But I think it's already going kind of long here. - So I'm gonna priest with the rest of this. - So for module to take more pictures, - look for Wade. - Ways to utilize Dagnall lines they could be repeating. - They can be leading lines that can create patterns. - Um, - that I want you to do the same, - if you can, - with vertical and horizontal lines. - We haven't talked too much about vertical or horizontal lines. - Um, - but a lot of same things apply. - Look for repetition. - Look for patterns. - Look for vertical lines could be found in fences. - Horizontal lines could be found. - Crosswalks. - Those could be Bagnall lines if you shoot it from an angle. - Um, - look for a naturally occurring patterns. - You might get into the habit of shooting some boring things at first, - but then stick subject in there. - Find a vertical find vertical repeating lines on offense. - Put your friend in the picture and suddenly you have. - Um, - you have a cool geometric background to frame your friend, - but when you do this, - make sure to keep your vertical lines. - Vertical Innkeeper. - Horizontal lines level horizontal. - Um, - if you're often rotating rotated just by a couple of degrees, - you can kind of ruin the effect and the violently consider flattening your perspective, - meaning try and take a three dimensional scene and make it two dimensional. - This helps to emphasize lines and shapes and patterns were gonna talk more about this next - week about going creating more abstract images. - But if you want, - start on it this week and then finally, - as last for last week. - Poster Images Class Project Page. - I will comment on your images as soon as I can. - They're starting to be a lot of images, - so may take me a while from this point on, - but I will try and get everybody's images. - Um, - again, - Please give feedbacks other people's images and read my comments. - My existing comets on the other project pages, - but only some more tips on execution. - This is a repeat from last week, - but it bears mentioning again. - Start small. - Start simple. - Don't try and be too ambitious and try and capture too many things or utilized to many of - these concepts. - Um, - and don't try to take thes rules to literally I call. - I call them rules, - but, - um, - you know, - the really guidelines, - I think the rule of thirds is is called a rule, - but you think of these old as guidelines that can help inform your your composition in the - last thing I want to mention. - And I've mentioned it already, - but it he's, - I think, - crucial here trying Shoot, - Your image is dead on. - I know this can be restricting and in placing a lot of you in a box, - and a lot of you like to shoot things that funky angles. - But just give it a try. - I give this, - give it a try getting a habit of it and see what it does. - Do you see what you can do in your photography? - Um, - you can, - you know, - this is just for this class. - And after after you're done with me, - you can go and start to do things on a tingles again. - But I think you might be surprised at what you find. - So that's it for this week. - You go out, - have fun to take lots of pictures, - post them, - and, - uh, - I'll see you guys in the comment section. 3. Optional: Previously recorded Q&A Video: - - Yeah - . - Uh huh. - - No - , - I think guys, - welcome to office hours Just waiting for Thinks more people to show up. - I've got three of you here and, - uh, - give miss the first time I've done this. - I'm not sure how how I take questions here. - There's an ability to ah, - have you submit questions or if you have ability to talk back at me through this, - so you'll hang on a second. - Alright, - guys, - So I don't have any questions for many of you. - Um, - I've posted a quick discussion note in the discussion section. - If you do have questions and let's say I don't know how you would submit it through Google - hang out, - feel free to post it in that in the discussion section. - And I can take your questions from there. - So and I think you're just figured out the chat function. - So if you are all using this on the left side, - there should be a chat function or if it's not already there, - um, - it should be on the right side of your Google hangouts screen. - I'll be right back. - So anybody here - I see there, - two of you logged in right now. - Um, - this I'll be sitting in for 30 minutes to take your questions, - if you have any. - Otherwise I don't have any prepared material. - Other. - Uh, - yeah, - I'm other than the city here. - And Teoh answer anything. - Quite any questions you may have. - This is open season. - So anything about gear of a technique about technical stuff Having used sculpture page, - Um, - this is the time to do it. - And so - all - right, - now I see five of you on here. - Alternatively, - you can email me questions as well, - if you prefer to do it that way. - - Still - have no questions. - - Okay - , - first question from Stephanie. - The question is whether I'm familiar with using a range finder, - and if so, - um, - kind of over using one. - Uh, - unfortunately, - I am not familiar with using a range finder at broadly speaking, - um, - range finder is where Looks along like this, - actually. - And you basically frame your mid using this. - Um, - now, - this is a quasi judicial rain find range finder, - so it's kind of cheating. - But the range finder, - you could manually controlled the focus with a focus ring, - and it's sort of zone based, - uh, - zone based focusing is inventing where you've turned this ring it will the camera focus a - certain distance away from your subject or certain certain distance away from the camera. - And so it's kind of hard to use because you're not focusing directly through the lens. - So what you see here, - um, - is gonna be shifted from what the lens sees by a couple of a couple of inches. - And so usually in this view finder is grid or are guidelines that left on the right to let - you know where exactly the frame is going to end. - And depending on what kind of lens you have in a range finder, - you're gonna be using a different set of lines. - So why name lend? - You should be using the widest set of lines in your in your viewfinder with the longer lens - you're gonna be using. - Ah, - narrower set of ones. - So that's about all I know about using a range finder. - Um, - this is X 100. - I think some of you guys were using, - but it's not really a range finder. - And Fuji's made a lot easier for for you to use other than you know, - versus a traditional range finder. - So, - Stephanie, - I'm sorry don't have. - Ah, - too much to say about that. - There are resource is online. - There's range finder forms and things like that that could get you started. - Um, - but yeah, - that's not something I can really help you out with. - Um, - another question is whether you we can or you consume it photos you've taken prior to - starting escorts for feedback. - However, - if we, - uh, - I want new shots, - feel free to submit them. - Um, - I would only ask that you if you do, - submit those that you don't submit 10 new shots at the same time. - I do have a capacity issue discovering that if each of you post 10 photos need to be to get - three times with the 30 project, - that's 900 photos. - Have the comment on And, - uh, - I think overall quality is just going to go down. - If if I do that, - so feel free to post old stuff for comment. - So if you took last month last year and other students actually already doing that, - um, - they're posting stuff that they took on making, - you know, - vacation's over the last 3 to 5 years, - and there, - you know, - they re cropping them to Ah, - you know, - based on the concepts and week one week two and, - uh, - yeah, - so feel free to post older things. - Just just try not to post 20 images or 10 images, - even at the same time. - That gets a little overwhelming for me to comment on. - Yeah. - Okay. - Okay. - So, - Scott Axworthy, - if you are if you're on here Hello? - Thanks for saying Hi. - Who else? - Joyce, - if you have any questions, - feel free to updates the discussion form. - I thought there would be a way for you all to ask questions. - Life on this, - which when makes instances, - is an office hour. - But I don't know if it's a tech issue. - I don't know if it's just something on my end, - but looks like the only way you can ask questions now is through discussion. - Forum on, - um, - on the skill share web page. - So, - - uh - , - um, - you know what I have? - I think one of you just says said you have access to this. - Thank you. - What you just said said you have access to this. - Okay, - so now I can see comments. - That's weird. - Um, - I'm looking a Google hangouts on air, - and now I can see your comics. - Um, - Grace Bello, - Any insights on Portrait's in particular candids? - Better generally that pose ones. - Sorry, - guys, - but all this technical stuff, - um, - that's frankly up. - T you depending on what you want. - Accomplish. - True street photography can be really engaging Really interesting. - Street photography is mostly candid on a lot of time at ST portraiture. - I can be tough because you'll be trying to catch somebody completely candid, - and they're gonna look at you and they're going to scale at you. - And they're gonna ask me, - like, - don't take my photo, - Get away from me. - Especially plays. - They're like New York people to be a little sensitive about that. - Um, - insides of portraiture in general, - You know, - just shoot two people that are interesting to you, - and frankly, - it's not. - Not a big deal. - Just ask if you see somebody on the street. - And for some reason, - they catch your eye. - If you ask nicely up, - sometimes they will say yes. - Sometimes I'll say no, - and you have to just keep moving on. - Um, - see, - I'm trying to get - okay - , - So now I can finally see all your your comments and your questions on the YouTube page, - which is different from what I see. - I have this. - I have his Google hang out interface with the skill Scher live Plug in. - Um, - and I've been typing comments on myself. - Apparently. - You see this using this application? - No. - So anyone else have other questions? - You have me for at least another 15 minutes. - Stephen, - Um, - I think if you write, - if you write to me using the comments page on YouTube, - then I can see those, - Um, - Or if you want to tweet me, - questions at Frank Wing photo that will work as well. - Okay, - Stephen is asking is your photo Ah, - you might have or know of that incorporates all we have learned to date. - Actually, - I think a couple of you have, - um, - have taken photos and incorporate lease multiple concepts have definitely seen pictures - where somebody has utilized the rule of thirds in terms of subject placement or dividing - the frame when I mean by dividing the frame is you have the foreground. - Take up 2/3. - Ah, - and the background take up 1/3 and I've also seen them incorporate that and with distinct - four grounds backgrounds of mid grounds to create that sort of sense of depth and structure - , - And, - uh, - and there might be a diagonal or two thrown in there. - I definitely seen that among among ah, - your classmates work. - So take a look through that. - If I see one, - I will definitely pointed out. - Um, - And then there are a couple of photos I think in lecture one lecture to if you go back and - scan through those that take, - uh, - use multiple concepts that we've discussed. - Yeah. - Huh? - Okay, - No more comments or questions, - guys. - Again, - if you are somebody live comments. - Do it via the do it via the YouTube channel that you likely are looking at. - Or you can send me a tweet on Twitter at Frank Wing photo, - or you can post in the class discussion page. - That's likely to slowest way to do it. - So I'm gonna sign on Twitter and make sure you guys haven't sent anything. - Um, - since you guys haven't submitted anything else, - I want to go back to the portrait question that Grace submitted. - Another insight, - I think, - is used. - That's useful for portrait is if you can fill your frame with your subject's face. - A Zatz sounds. - You may have to get kind of closer use. - Ah, - telephoto lens. - Often times that could be a fairly interesting photo. - Um, - the human face these for most people sort of divided, - you know, - 1/3 between your eyes and top of your head, - and probably 2/3 between here and your chin. - It's automatically. - You sort of have that ratio. - Um, - shoot in portrait own meaning. - Shoot vertically. - Put their eyes about 2/3 from the top of the frame and see what you get. - The concept of distinct foreground background and mid ground is also great for portraiture - . - If you have somebody sitting at a desk stand right in front of them, - um, - the death becomes the foreground. - Your subject or your portrait subject is less in the background. - And then sometimes, - and if you have a nice background behind them, - then that's your background. - You'll see. - Actually, - picture like these a lot in magazines in newspapers. - Um, - where you know, - the for editorial portraiture. - They've done something very similar, - though. - Shoot somebody's important. - Sitting at their desk just got a bunch of stuff on the desk that becomes a foreground, - their paintings behind them or bookshelf behind them. - and, - ah, - it's a very easy way to to get a fairly solid image. - You can do this with square portrait. - It's May. - Sorry square format. - You can do this with two by three. - You do with an even longer, - even even an even wider aspect ratio if you like, - but a check to see if you have any more questions. - Another thing to note for the five year who are on here is a continually checked the - composition tips on, - um, - the composition tips discussion note in the class page. - I'm continually updating that as I see certain things that are, - most of you guys were doing our mistakes that your that I see a lot of you repeating or - justify, - come up with things I think would be helpful that I neglected to mention in, - um, - lectures one or two or things that don't really fit in lectures one or two, - uh, - another compliments about the about my comments on your photos. - I'm trying to stay away from from technical commentary. - You're not gonna hear me say your highlights. - Air blown. - Are you need Teoh, - You increase your shutter speed, - decrease your shutter speed the most I might say is, - you know, - use more death of Euler or shallower depth looked up the field. - And even then I'm only Onley reserving those comments for those of you are quickly using - equipment that will enable you to do that. - There those Are you taking this class with cell phones. - And so I'm not gonna, - you know, - trouble you by telling you to do, - you shall lowered at the field with your cell phone. - That's - yeah. - So what else do you guys have you've taken? - Ah, - it's been two weeks now. - You've had two lectures, - have hopefully taken a whole bunch of photos and a lot of them. - And really cool. - As I've been going through, - uh, - through your work. - A lot of you guys have had really interesting photos. - And, - uh, - someone really creative, - actually. - So definitely happened to see that. - Um, - but I'm surprised none of you have comments or questions If you haven't done so yet. - I would go through and look at the five photographers I listed under lecture one. - The lecture One resource is I go click on their websites, - go do a Google image, - searches for their work on take a look. - You might be. - Ah, - you might like what you find that I picked them Not only because they're famous and well - known, - but they're famous and well known for for for good reason. - Cardio person obviously be used several examples from fantastic street photographer and was - also master composition. - Albert Watson is very graphic in his, - uh, - his compositions. - And ah, - he relies on his training as a graphic designer. - Actually, - I think toe compose some of these photos. - Who else is on their arm? - Arnold Newman is on the list. - Is well, - he, - uh he doesn't fantastic portraiture, - and his compositions are pretty cool. - You should check out and Google his portrait of, - ah, - Stravinsky. - Uh, - I think was Stravinsky sitting at the piano? - Um, - sorry. - Yeah, - it was Igor Stravinsky sitting at the piano. - Um, - it's just a wonderfully composed image. - Um, - and it's almost two dimensional and its effect, - but as a kind of environmental portraiture, - it's pretty cool too. - Um, - so I wouldn't go that when you get a chance. - So I'm still waiting for more comments. - Questions? - Helene, - I think you just posted, - um, - something that Okay, - So I'm just I'm looking at all the comments here. - if I'm not seeing any comments If their comments I'm not I haven't answered questions I - haven't answered on the YouTube side posted in the class discussion side, - please. - Yeah, - that's, - uh Okay, - so I finally concedes, - um, - new questions. - So, - um, - we'll be giving a class on light room by chance, - I take a given live like your classes in the past. - Like, - room is kind of hard to teacher. - Take some. - It's harder at least for me to conceive how to teach it. - Um, - they're in on the online class, - but I'm pretty sure you can goto lynda dot com or other places and maybe coursera and take - Leiterman classes. - I've taught a a couple of live light room classes or you happen to be in New York City, - email me and let me know you want to take it. - I wasn't sure that there wasn't a demand for it to continually teach it like the DSLR class - . - But ah, - yeah, - If you guys are interested in light or email me, - maybe we can work something out. - I know not all of you are based in New York, - but if I chance some of your maybe we can figure out life. - Ah, - live session. - Otherwise, - I have to think about how to teach it effectively online. - I don't want to just get, - you know, - started string screen casting Start walking through a light room. - So I think it takes it takes some time to develop an effective an effective curriculum, - especially if you're teaching online. - Finding teaching stuff online is actually, - um, - in some ways, - a lot harder. - Been been teaching it live because you have to be very. - You have to be very thoughtful about what you present, - why you present it and and how you present it so that nothing is sort of lost in the - translation between digital in the real world. - Um, - Sylvia. - Good. - I want to apply your comments, - improve my images. - Should I remove the older version or leave everything so that others have access to your - comments and go back to the pictures? - Go ahead and leave your old versions. - I know you posted a lot of pictures, - but I would just simply post the new ones up top and just more commits new on. - Leave the old ones there. - Uh, - when you're doing street photography, - do you mostly used manual automatic focus. - I switch back and forth if I have, - um, - if I have the option to use auto, - I will use auto. - Sometimes manual focus can be be faster because there's no shutter lag while your camera - attempts to find focus. - Um, - so if I can sit there planted and I know what I want to take a photo of and I'm waiting for - the right moment, - I can use manual focus, - and the way you would do that is you would focus, - say, - on a garbage can or a tree or stump. - Oh, - are some fixture that is not moving with your out of focus flipped the switch to manual and - then when the person walking by or your subject enters the frame, - Um, - whenever you hit that, - whenever hit the shutter release, - you'll be taking pictures. - But our in focus so long as your subject is near your stump or nearer and nearer your - garbage can or whatever you focused on. - Uh, - other than practice a lot, - is there anything else you can suggest to someone interested in capturing street candids? - Um, - that's a good question. - I would look at the work of famous street photographers. - There is a street photography class on skill share. - It is a top by Caitlin the best story finger. - Last name is I took the class and she provides some helpful hints and walks you through the - work of some some more well known street photographers. - And you'll post comments just like you do in this class, - and she will give you feedback. - So if you are interested in photography, - take Caitlyn's class on skill share. - Let's see. - Joyce Sex. - Do you plan on to take a class out and use a DSLR? - Um, - I think you mean, - um, - it will there be a physical, - like photo walk? - And yes, - there will be that's gonna be for those of you were in New York. - I'm not sure when it's going to be, - but likely sometime after the last class, - and we have some time as when we can schedule it. - We're not bound by having that that photo. - Look, - within two weeks or one week of the last session here, - we could do it in April, - redoing maven if if nobody can make it. - So that's something wanted all for students who are based here in New York. - Ah, - lot of you have taken, - um, - my crash course. - Uh, - the DSLR crash course. - So I just wanted to sort of face that Thanks and spend some time, - you know, - shooting with you guys and to meet you. - Um, - so, - yeah, - there. - I've created a group within the discussion or within the class pages. - It's called the New York Photo Walk. - Just joined that group and way. - Start talking about dates and times. - Then where is the best place to practice taking photos beside Highlight. - You know, - honestly, - I would get the heck out of the high line. - Um, - I hate taking photos of the high line because they're way, - way, - way too many people. - Unless you show up. - Uh, - really early in the morning or really late at night, - Actually, - even at night, - it's going bad. - So unless you're there right when it opens, - the high line's gonna be really tough. - Because there's going to be people getting into your shot. - If you have a friend. - Intrinsic Portrait's of them. - Good luck trying to get a clean background. - Um, - places that are that might be a little more interesting or a little easier. - Take photos. - The oysters. - If you're into nature, - is never really that crowded, - but it's, - Ah, - way up in an upper Manhattan. - You take the A train, - I think up there. - So the question is, - is always a cool place to shoot and, - uh, - the outer boroughs really getting Brooklyn? - You know, - we did a A photo walk with fellow students in the In the street photography class in - Williamsburg on a Saturday morning, - and they just weren't that many people walking around in Manhattan. - You don't have crazy amounts of street traffic, - and I was a fairly successful time. - We were there maybe an hour and 1/2. - We each came back with a whole bunch of interesting photos on and in. - Williamsburg has its own unique character. - It's got funky. - It's got funky street art. - It's Scott, - some industrial character. - 62 It's got some modern architecture because of low condos. - That's another place you may want. - Want to check out? - Governors Island actually is really cool if you Congar on a day that's not really packed - with people, - and there's not a festival going on a walker and Governors Island can be be kind of cool. - Well, - I'll be doing the DSLR crash course anytime soon. - Yes. - Uh, - that's actually been posted. - There. - Will. - The next one is gonna be a March 26. - And I believe that's a Thursday. - Um, - sorry. - That is a Tuesday, - but it is posted on skill share. - Just do. - If you subscribe a mirror click on me, - I think list of my classes will come up. - So that will be under 26th. - Is there one criteria that I think about the second you point your camera and shoot the - first thing that comes in mind? - My instinct now is sort of the check my frame to make sure there isn't anything in the - frame that I don't want in the frame. - Whether it is a piece of garbage on the ground, - uh, - you know, - plastic bag floating around. - Um, - sometimes you can, - you know, - take two seconds and move that object. - Or you can move in or move out. - Sit Teoh to get get. - Really? - What you want in your frame or what you want out of your friend. - Um What is it going to say if you're taking portrait of somebody and you know they're there - ? - They're sitting there, - there, - posing. - If you notice and carrying. - I don't know, - like a shopping bag or coffee cup unless you want that coffee cup in the shot in the - shopping bag in this shot were have given their handbag in the shot you take. - Take three seconds. - Take that stuff from them, - put off the decide on and then take the photo. - A lot of people in there taking photos of the friends that way because they have to be - holding whatever crap they happen building. - And, - um, - it's just that's not a clean shot. - You'll be surprised how much better portraiture looks or even just casual photos of your - friends. - Look without them holding on to a whole bunch of stuff in their hands. - Um, - see, - what is my favorite lens? - My favorite lens? - That's a good question. - The 50 millimeter lens on a full frame camera. - That means something to you apologized, - but the 50 millimeters a nice lens. - Um, - for those of you who are new to the lenses in such 50 millimeters approximates a human - field of view. - So when you put a 50 millimeters lens up to your eye on a full frame or 35 millimeter - equivalent camera, - you get approximately the same level of zoom when you look through the viewfinder so the - scene isn't too big or too magnified and sent to zoomed out. - So 50 sort of replicates what you see with your eye and then an everyday walkabout lens for - me is a 24 70. - That gives me a pretty flexible zoom range if I don't want to carry three different lenses - fixed prime lenses with me, - 24 70 is pretty pretty useful. - Um, - one of you said is asking, - Ah, - a lot of your shots end up without a strong subjects. - I struggle. - So I find I struggled with that a bit, - maybe overthinking that shot before it before taking it plays a part that's that's a hard - one to answer. - If you're having trouble finding a strong subject, - I would actually take more time before you take a photo. - Often times, - I think when people first started shooting, - they're walking around the street like Oh, - cool, - that's that's a cool architectural effect, - or that's a cool sign or that's something interesting. - I'm just going to take a photo of it, - but I don't think about how to take a photo of it or how to um, - how Teoh frame matter to compose it. - And oftentimes that means they're subject sort of gets lost among, - like, - a busy background or something. - Um, - I would look for opportunities that isolate your subject. - Sometimes it's not about the strength of your subject, - but how well you've isolated it. - You can isolate subjects by finding some contrast. - So if you're shooting a leaf, - make sure there are 100 leaves behind the leaf. - Maybe you put the leaf against open sky, - which might mean getting, - you know, - shooting from a really low angle. - Um, - to do that, - or you can isolate a subject using depth of field, - but again, - that requires that you have the equipment to do that. - It's 7 37 now, - but since we started late with the lead technical stuff, - I'm gonna keep going on until 7 25 So keep asking questions. - When I do a photo shoot. - Do I find it hard giving directions, - especially the group of people? - Ah, - yes. - Giving directions the one or two or three people is a lot easier in giving directions to 50 - people. - When you have a larger group picture, - it is frankly, - like herding cats and you would benefit from having an assistant or somebody there to do - crowd control. - That's one reason why I like should engagements. - And I don't like shooting shooting weddings. - So I don't have very many of those trying to get, - you know, - whole 45 people that extended family or they're all 100 people that you went to college - with in one photo. - Uh, - is not a lot of fun. - Uh, - any specific tips to take pictures of kids? - Yes, - for kids. - Kids are often running around pretty fast, - and they're not paying attention. - Cameron, - your two year old's running around wreaking havoc somewhere. - Set your camera, - um, - to use a faster shutter speed. - Um, - if that means nothing to you, - um, - didn't take my course on 26th but, - uh, - faster shutter speed means you have the ability to capture less motion, - which means you have ability of the freeze motion. - You can freeze a fast moving subject so that that subject will not pure blurry eso. - For kids, - fast shutter Street is essential. - If they're not fidgeting, - they're probably moving. - Another tip for kids is is the the angle and what you shoot the Mac and can be can actually - make a big difference if you shoot them from above. - That could make a pretty interesting picture if the kid is looking directly up at the lens - . - But you may want to get down at their level, - which means getting on your hands and knees or just lying down the floor and shooting - shooting in a prone position that could make interesting photos for kids as well. - See, - Did I miss anything here happen? - Uh, - Lane. - For some reason, - one of your comments has been flagged as spam. - I would repost that it's the one after specific tips to take pictures of kids E and asks - any advice and organizing photo shoot Street photographer You 3 to 4 friends. - Um, - that's probably not a lot of work, - actually. - You simply say a email three of your friends and say we're going to go shoot Saturday - morning at 10 a.m. At this location, - and that's it. - Um, - I don't know that you really need anything more than that other than you may want - intentionally plan When you gonna shoot for a certain time of day? - If you want. - Ah, - lot of contrast. - And if you want a lot of sharp, - you know, - shadows. - Then you may want to go When? - When it's the midday and you know it's bright, - sunny day and there's a lot of dark sunlight if you want sort of a warmer Tony images. - If you want a backlighting and the sun sort of lowered arising, - you can place the sun behind some of these head and do you know and shoot with silhouettes - . - Uh, - you know, - go go later during the day, - Go go before sunset or right around sunset, - Um, - or if you don't want a lot of contrasts and you want sort of flattened, - even lighting, - you know, - schedule that that shoot for a cloudy day. - And I know there's it's hard to figure out what is actually going to cloudy, - but cloudy days could be fantastic opportunities to take photos, - especially of people. - But not only a people of you know of structures and buildings, - because you don't have all these sharp shadows in the in the scene scene. - Um, - and shadows can really be tough to work with. - Unless do you really pay attention to them? - What is my opinion regarding the current job market in the photography field? - whether commercial weddings, - senior portrait snitch markets. - Um, - the way that I look at it is this. - There are probably four buckets of photography you can working as a photographer. - You can be a portrait photographer. - And when I see a portrait photographer, - I mean portrait photographer for families, - for weddings, - receiving portrait's things like that, - there will always be a market for that in that's largely going to depend on your ability to - market yourself in your ability to build connections and to have really Teoh build build a - network because a lot of that businesses is referral based. - But, - you know, - you start taking pictures of somebody when they're high school senior. - They can come back to you when they get engaged, - and then they come back to you when they get married, - and then they come back to you to shoot their kid's first birthday party. - Um, - and then then God knows what. - You're gonna shoot their corporate event if they have it, - and then maybe you're gonna be shooting, - um, - you know, - second kid's birthday party. - Maybe they get the force and the ship that you would shoot their second wedding. - So you know that kind of business is is fairly relational. - Um, - then you can be an editorial photographer. - This is where you're shooting for magazines. - I think that market has waxed and waned. - Does wax and wane. - With the economy, - budgets go down, - budgets go up with advertising dollars as well. - Saw magazines get skinnier and skinnier because that adds went out. - Eso did budgets for photographers. - Um, - And then there's commercial photography, - and I like to separate this into two buckets. - One is you're shooting for small companies. - You're shooting for startups you're shooting for, - um, - you know, - medium small to medium sized businesses who need work for need images for their website for - the corporate. - You know, - for corporate documents for print, - um, - for the company's annual reports for e commerce for the website, - they're gonna hire you directly again. - That's highly dependent on the economy. - So these days it might be coming back forth categories. - Advertising photography where you're shooting again for Corporates. - With this time for an ad agency, - that's big money. - It's it's ah, - smaller. - They're smaller number people playing in that field because it's highly highly competitive - . - But this is where you're shooting your shooting for 19 year shooting for four Ford or - you're shooting an ad campaign for Coca Cola, - Um, - and then those air in a massive budgets. - But most of those wax and wane and the economy that I think you know, - weddings and seen report There will always be a need for that. - Um, - what is a good rule of thumb for changing photos to be black and white, - if any. - I that's that's depending on what you're converting into where you're converting to black - and white with, - Ah, - light room has a lot of tools. - You can convert the black and white. - You know, - one thing you do is just slide the saturation slider all the way to zero, - and you got black and white. - But you may also want to play with the tint and the color of the image before you convert, - because different colors will convert to different tones of grey, - white, - black. - I don't too much time to talk about that. - I mean, - you know, - in this context, - but if you Google black and white conversions, - I think you will find a wealth of stuff. - Um, - let's see, - always takes you a few shots to understand how to improve the image while shooting any - tipped improve this and to be faster. - Mm, - That I think just comes a time and experience. - The more you shoot more, - you review your own images. - The more you start seeing patterns when you walk, - walk around with their camera. - Um, - as you shoot more, - you're going to start seeing visual patterns. - So you walk down the street and you see somebody looking out through a window boom frame - within a frame and a portrait. - I'm gonna get back a little bit in your shoot The picture. - Um, - there times, - you see somebody sitting on the bench and you can say, - OK, - I shot this picture before for somebody else, - and it's very similar scene. - Uh, - and the more you shoot, - the more these things were just gonna click it in. - The pattern recognition part of your brain starts to fire how to increase sharpness. - Sharpness is gonna be a function of, - uh, - focus. - How will you focused? - How will your autofocus is working? - It is also gonna be a function of your gear. - Unfortunately, - um, - cheap lenses will not give you, - um that sharpen the image versus a haiku higher quality lens. - However, - I would look up your lens on those lens databases. - Um, - a look of a lens review for your lens, - and they will often tell you which aperture and aperture still prefers that the size of the - hole that is letting light in your lens. - Which aperture provides you the sharpest results for that particular lens and within any - given lens, - your sharpness is going to vary depending if you're shooting with a big hole wide open at F - one F two, - or if you're shooting at F eight or F F 11 with smoke. - Um, - what inspires me that is a really good question. - I'm always looking for for other photographers and looking at other people's work that CNN - photo blogging, - they sent everybody. - I found that to be inspiring. - You know, - 11 place you can find. - Good work actually is on Instagram. - There's a lot of crap on Instagram, - to be honest, - a lot of pictures of people's fingernails are painted nails and a lot of pictures of - people's lunches and and what not, - But there guys on Instagram, - they're doing a lot of really good work. - If you want, - I can try and post a list of those later, - but I follow them on Instagram and I look at their work and some of them are are, - frankly, - amazing. - And they turn out amazing pictures day after day. - And I'm not really quite sure how they do that in the middle of jealous that they can do - that for their some really amazing photographers on and scram. - So I take a few minutes and if you're already on instagram just to see if you can find them - , - um, - and follow them when taking photos of friends or family. - If they noticed the camera, - they going to oppose what's the best way to get them to drop the post? - Huh? - That's funny. - Um, - yeah, - I think they're a couple of ways you 4. Putting It All Together: - welcome Teoh. - Part three of a crash course in photographic composition. - The quick recap over last week's work. - Good work, - everybody. - Images are looking better and better each week, - and I'm, - ah, - been pretty have been pretty encouraged by the work you guys have been producing. - Ah, - a little bit more about lines. - The first is not to forget horizontal and verticals. - Um, - you guys have done a pretty good job of diagonals, - but the signal is just one part of ah of utilizing lines. - I haven't spent as much time on horizontal and vertical simply because they're typically - easier to spot than diagnosed. - But, - um, - don't forget to utilize them. - Have you see repeating Horizontal is repeating verticals. - Feel free Teoh to start composing using those elements. - Another thing didn't note is that not all lines are literal. - Some lines are implied. - And what I mean by Applied line is, - ah, - line created by maybe several objects standing in a row instead of a line that is literally - painted on a wall. - So keep that in mind. - Look for horizontal, - look for verticals and look for lines that aren't necessarily as obvious or as literal. - In fact, - any sort of difference in color and contrast in an image essentially is a line. - If you see a long object that is a different color or of a different tone, - meaning it's brighter or darker than its surroundings. - Then you have a line created by the outline of that object, - Uh, - and when we're talking about the outline of an object, - will that outline often creates shape so you can then use lines? - Um, - if you're looking carefully, - you'll notice that lines can create different shapes and your images, - and this goes back to geometry. - If you go back and look over the images you've created using diagonal lines, - you'll start to notice that you can sort of connect the dots, - and some of those diagonals turn two triangles. - Some turn into rectangles. - Some turn into other shapes. - And so when you're looking out, - lines don't miss necessarily look just from literal diagonals or horizontal Zo or verticals - . - But look for triangles and rectangles and circles again. - These could be literal. - You can have some paint a rectangle or somebody take a picture window frame when you have a - literal example of that, - but they can be implied as well. - Objects arranged in a circular fashion or things that happened. - Teoh. - You know the create contrast in a circular fashion. - These things are all lines and all these all all of these lines create shapes. - Some miscellaneous shooting tips. - Look for ways to isolate to your subject on dive. - Put these tips and discussion note, - but I want to highlight them here. - Two primary ways you can isolate your subject. - One is to create contrast. - We'll look for areas of contrast, - meaning If your subject is light, - make sure they're they're on a dark background or foreground, - and if they're, - uh, - your subject is dark, - look for vice versa. - Another way to create contrast is by utilizing focus, - meaning you can use shallow depth of field. - The isolated subject. - This is somewhat dependent on your gear, - so if you're using a phone, - that might be kind of tough. - But for those of you with SL ours and with with lenses, - especially those long lenses or lenses that can give you are Jap a Cher's, - and you can definitely use shallow that the field to isolate your subject. - Another random sort of tip is watch out for the bright parts of your image. - Somebody have taken pretty cool photos, - but they're really, - really bright parts, - like on the periphery of your image. - That can be kind of distracting. - Sometimes all it takes is to move a couple of feet or couple inches one way or no. - There are change angle slightly to get that part, - that very bright, - distracting area completely out of your frame. - And finally, - when thinking about things like foreground and diagonals, - don't always look on the ground. - You can look for four rounds at the top of the image. - Ceiling can create foreground a wall or a offense can create foreground that the left or - the right of the image. - So start pushing yourself Teoh. - Explore these concepts Ah, - little differently and see if you can find ways to execute them a little differently than - you have been doing. - I want to talk a little bit about vertical lines and just want to point to this image out. - It's another Elliott Erwitt image, - and he not only has the agonal minds created by dead between the ground and the wall, - but he's also got these cool vertical lines created by these repeating statues. - And, - um, - it's a funny picture because, - you know, - I feel like I've taken this picture before where I've actually tried to be in that picture - before, - but ah, - the repeating vertical lines is it just adds like an extra element, - and he's taken it from the side angle, - whereas most of us probably taking this from the front. - And we're actually gonna revisit this image later on in this lecture. - This image. - I wanted the highlight because it not only has vertical lines but also as horizontal lines - the movement. - In this image I feels horizontal. - And then there are a bunch of lines created by was great in the background that are - horizontal, - but it also has vertical lines, - and when you take the two together creates this kind of cool like rectangular pattern in - the background. - I wanted to give you another example of horizontal lines, - and this one's fairly obvious, - but it's also a silhouette, - which is something that we're going to talk about later in this lecture. - However, - first off, - I want to talk about symmetry and balance. - So far, - we've been trying to get our focal points or subjects out of the middle of the frame we've - been using the rule of thirds Teoh informer Subject placement by placing our subject that - left or right or a top third of the bottom third, - however, - I want t take a break from that and Explorer, - where symmetry can work well and compositions symmetry can help. - Abstract An image in a can actually create patterns because inheritance symmetry, - you have kind of two of everything on, - and it's also really easy to incorporate geometry and lines in symmetry. - Um, - or another way of putting it is that every time you see something geometric and heavy on on - straight lines, - chances are you can create a symmetrical image out of it. - One thing note is that your images don't have to have perfect symmetry and that the objects - in your image don't have to be perfectly symmetrical. - Bacon. - Just be a similar weight or similar style. - They can be of actually different objects altogether. - You know, - thinking take up similar visual weight and the image. - One thing to note when taking images like that is not the tilt. - The image. - Make sure everything is leveled because if you have it tilted to one side than that sort of - ruins, - the symmetrical effect I want to show you some examples of symmetry done. - Well, - this is a hair Willman photographer named Romney Smith. - Notice the use of distinct foreground Szmyd grounds and backgrounds here, - and he's got these two guys on either side of the Empire State Building. - There's another example from Rodney Smith. - You can see that he's used sort of the mid ground or foreground to to frame his image, - which is something we've talked about. - But there's also a nice symmetry to this image. - Here's another very literal example of ah symmetry, - and this photographer has also made pretty good use of diagonal lines. - This is yet another literal version of symmetry. - But this time this photographer has also utilized wrong vertical lines as you get them from - the pattern. - And he is also sort of a purchase from a graphic point of view release. - That's what I see as he repeating vertical lines, - repeating rectangles from the windows and the doors and the panels in the doors, - another sort of geometrically oriented ah, - use of symmetry. - And again, - no, - this is not perfectly symmetrical because the garbage can. - The middle was not all that some vegetables kind of tilted But overall, - the composition works another example of physical symmetry. - This one I like is It's also somewhat geometric, - with repeating rectangles, - vertical rectangles and adores and horizontal rectangles in the panels. - And it's got some nice repeating verticals in the railing as well. - I like this image because it uses both symmetry and, - um, - and leading lines you have diagnose coming in from all four corners and, - uh, - their Rosalie symmetrical on each side, - just sort of drawing your eye into into the vanishing point of the image. - This image as well. - This makes great use of leading lines coming in from the top of the images Melissa leaning - line created by the reflection straight up through the middle. - This is a fantastic image in that is use of both symmetry ah and abstraction. - And ah, - you also note that he's got to. - This photographer has shadows on the left side of the walkway here, - so it's not a perfectly symmetrical image, - but you know, - symmetrical enough and it's actually quite effective. - Cemetery also works for Ah Square compositions, - and I think we mentioned this really early on in class on the fact sometimes they work - better for a square for square compositions. - If you guys are shooting square, - you may want to pay a little more attention to symmetry than you would if you were shooting - , - ah, - to buy three or another rectangular format. - Now symmetry doesn't always have to be as literal as examples we've been seeing. - Sometimes it's, - ah, - little more subtle. - Now this is a picture by Cartier Bresson, - and he's placed his subjects smack in the middle of the frame, - which is what we're trying not to do, - but because he has a sort of symmetry here, - where the background has a frame on the left, - in a frame on the right, - and because he's places subjects Mac Dead center in the middle of frame. - It kind of works. - He's placed the subject there for a good reason. - And even though it's sort of a classic example of putting a porch portrait subject right in - the middle of frame because I think of the symmetry in the back, - it's would have works. - I also wanted to go back to this image I showed you, - and this image is also square format and also sort of has a nice symmetry. - You have your subject in the middle, - and you also have her flanked by two sort of similar kind of shapes. - And so the left side has a woman in the right stand. - As woman, - they sort of balance out the visual weight of the image. - This image is well again. - It's a square crop, - but because the left side and the right side or fairly similar, - it works in a fairly symmetrical way. - So that symmetry symmetry is a fairly easy in concept to understand, - and you'll probably find it pretty easy. - Teoh Execute in your pictures. - Contrast in the hand is a little more subtle, - and I wanted to spend a little more time on the concept of contrast. - First, - I want to talk about contrast in in the context of isolating your subject. - Unease. - E way to do this is to have a light or a bright object, - a subject on a dark background. - If you can achieve that, - then automatically that bright object is isolated because it has contrasts with what's - around it and because it's a bright object of your eye. - Off on Ackley goes the right image, - so you can definitely begin to use if you haven't already contrast to isolate your subjects - . - So start looking for subjects that are brighter than the surroundings and also look for - subjects that are dark hurt than surroundings. - And then they're surrounded. - And when you have subjects that are much darker than their surroundings, - that starts to create a silhouette. - Scylla leading to me is an extreme example of using contrast, - and you have all definitely seen examples of this. - But going back to our description of contrasts as any sort of line or any sort of line - could be created. - By contrast, - the silhouette is an extreme example of this. - Ah, - when you've got a silhouette with very light lights and very dark darks, - it flattens the sense of depth in an image, - and it begins to abstract that image. - So silhouettes, - because they are a an extreme example of of lines and because an extreme example of - contrast is also an easy way to isolate your subject. - I think of Silla letting as a combination of abstraction because of flattens the image in - use of high contrast, - because in order to have a civil, - what you're required have area large differential between your lights and the darks in in - an image. - So any time you see that anytime you see a very bright background in a very dark foreground - , - it's a good opportunity to nitty toe to try and take a picture that usually utilizes a - silhouette. - But also remember, - you can choose the silhouette either either the foreground or the background. - I mean, - typically, - we do it with the foreground because of background is typically brighter. - But if you every bright foreground, - a very dark background, - you can easily do the same thing. - And you don't always have the fully silhouette, - the image. - You know, - the silhouette, - everything in it. - You can also still a part of the image. - But first I want to talk about the concept of light on dark Cartier person yet again, - and this is a fairly subtle version or example of light on dark. - You'll notice that the faces here is to two subjects. - Not only are they nicely framed by these windows there, - they're peeking through, - but their faces are also considerably brighter than their surroundings. - And because of that, - you're I autumn act. - We go straight to focus on his two subjects. - More dramatic example. - Cardio percent using this is with these for one. - This image is interesting for a number of reasons, - but, - um, - the one I want to highlight here is the fact that the skin tones are all very bright, - but their clothing is all very darks. - Your eye automatically goes to all these bright spots. - It doesn't have to be a black and white image. - It could be a color image. - In this case of three nuns looked like because they're playing volleyball immediately stand - out because they are very bright. - But there's also contrast in terms of color, - their white on red and gray. - And and it's also ah, - good use of verticals. - You have the story of repeating vertical lines. - This is an image I took and I converted in black and white because I felt like it would - highlight the subject more. - When you convert things a black and white year you're only working with light and dark. - So in this case, - when I converted it on, - the background became very dark, - but the skin tones remained remained relatively light. - Because of that, - your eye automatically goes towards the subject. - A similar effect happen here, - where when I converted it, - the black and white, - the skin tones stood out much more brightly against the clothes they're wearing, - and so your eye automatically goes towards the subject. - I said we'd revisit this image, - and we are. - And this time I want to point out the fact that not only does it use vertical lines and - diagonal lines, - it uses the concept of light on dark, - where the little girl on the right is wearing a bright dress that contrasts pretty strongly - against not only her background but against the four figures to her left. - On the flip side, - you can also utilize dark on light, - and this is where your silhouette ing the four gun or the mid ground. - I introduced this image to you in the first lecture as an example of subject placement, - but it's also a good example of using silhouettes. - This is another image by Rodney Smith, - and what's cool about this image is that not only is he using ah silhouette, - he's also using a frame within a frame, - and he's allowed the dark foreground to frame his subject. - You've seen this image are already, - and it was in the context of ah, - well, - thirds and using leading lines. - But what you may not have noticed is that there's a silhouette and image right there, - And what's cool about this image is that the foreground created by that walkway leads your - eye straight to that image. - And because because there's such high contrast between the figure and its background, - it only takes you a few seconds to notice that man standing there. - This is another example of, - ah, - full silhouette in that the subject is fully darkened, - Um, - but it's also a good example of ah, - diagnose line. - One easy way to create a silhouette is the shoot into the sunset with the sun setting than - the background. - Sky becomes very bright, - but your foreground is relatively dark because everything's backlit. - This picture was was process really heavily from what I can tell, - and the colors are saturated. - But it's a good example of sunset and something in the foreground automatically becoming - silhouetted because of the difference between light from the sun and light in the - foreground, - another example of a civil it created by shooting into the sun. - Yet another example here. - What you might already notice now is this. - Photographers choice of subject placement in his choice of framing because it pretty much - follows the rule of thirds again. - Another image shooting with the sun shooting directly into a setting sun. - A use of the rule of thirds. - Another cool image that I like where the photographer decided to shooting the sun. - Distill what his images, - another image where the photographer has decided to make use of the rule of thirds. - One more example of shooting into a setting sun on this time, - the photographer has decided. - So utilize a strong diagonal. - This one's a little different. - It's a lot more stylized, - more processed. - But I wanted to point it out because not only is this photographer using silhouette, - the photographers also using a frame within the frame one more example of ah, - shooting into the sun. - But not all silhouettes have to be done where you're shooting into a beautiful sunset. - Anytime you see a tunnel tunnel under bridge or overpass, - she you're going to see a scene like this, - which is just two things. - One. - It creates a nice frame. - In this case, - it's framing the house and the boy with his dog, - but also creates a nice silhouette. - So you start seeing if you start seeing patterns like this. - It's almost automatic. - You go cool, - it's got a frame within a frame and I have a nisi salute. - I just need a subject. - This is a good example, - not saluting the entire scene. - It's also a good example of foreground created by the tree branches in the top, - which is distinct from the background created by the pyramid and which is distinct from the - subject, - which is the silhouetted monkey. - And this image also has a pretty nice diagnose. - I believe this image is from a National Geographic photographer, - which explains why it's so damn good. - Another cool example of a silhouette, - and, - uh, - his use of the rule of thirds as may not be as obvious. - But you see this figure. - This vertical figure sort of walking right into that left vertical and the horizon line, - while obscured by all the cows, - is probably right about where that bottom horizontal line is. - Remember, - I said, - silhouettes can also help create patterns or abstractions. - This image is kind of cool because you have not only silhouettes, - but you have this repeating pattern made by these balloons, - so let's can also be found in reflections. - If you have, - ah, - a shadow cast by, - you know, - a subject onto reflection. - It typically results in a sharp shadow against a bright sky. - This one's kind of cool, - as it also has a strong diagonal running through it. - A couple of you have taken pictures like this. - Bird sitting Honda Branch also always make kind of cool silhouettes, - but the reason it's easy to take a picture like this is because of bird is already elevated - , - and you can often just use this a bright sky as a background and have the bird in the - branches in the foreground and typically again with the setting sun that backgrounds going - too much brighter than the foreground. - And this isn't this photographer has also decided to use the rule of thirds another example - of vertical lines but also off, - ah silhouette, - with the subject here completely darkened against the bright vertical neon lights and this - image again, - I want to show you because not only does it use the horizontal lines, - but it also employs silhouette, - and I haven't completely blacked out my subjects here because I still wanted some back - light to dispel onto the subject that give it a little bit of dimension. - And I like this image because it utilises silhouette but also manages to frame the subjects - with this opening on the same bridge. - Okay, - so we've come to the end of module three. - Keep on shooting. - Keep on creating all this really cool work that I'm seeing. - I want you to start incorporating what you've learned in the 1st 2 modules in your third - model, - so incorporate the rule of thirds of you can incorporate into distinct foreground and - background. - Start incorporating diagnose and verticals, - horizontal zand, - repeating shapes and, - um, - started abstracting your images and see if you can start incorporating some symmetry and - some some silhouettes into your image. - Start looking for ah, - uh, - scenes where your subject has ah strong contrast against its surroundings. - It's a light on dark or dark on light. - Consider shooting into sunsets. - Consider using this sky as a background. - If anything is elevated, - whether it be like a flagpole or a lamp post for shooting from the ground automatically, - that object is simply framed by the sky. - I see if you can isolate it with just your subject and the sky. - Make sure there aren't too many trees or branches or miscellaneous stuff in the image, - and then that can help you create a minimalistic sort of image. - And finally, - I'd like you to take all these concepts. - We've discussed an Explorer obstruction a little more. - Here's some tips for creating abstract images. - Look for repeating patterns of shapes and of lines. - Look for repeating lines that turn into patterns. - When there's a strong pattern, - the pattern can actually dominate the actual subject or object you're photographing. - Also look for isolation. - So if you see an object that is isolated because it has a strong contrast in color or tone - against background, - that's that's an easy recipe for abstracting. - The image alone object on like a solid color background, - whether be lightened, - darker, - darker light. - Um, - if there's something else in the frame and it's just a lone object against a plain blue - background, - that's a pretty cool image, - because not only is it make use of contrast, - it also makes use of abstraction and of minimalism as well. - If you do on Instagram, - search for a hashtag I G minimal, - you'll find a lot of examples of this, - and you'll be surprised at how simple those images are it could be as simple as a fuse box - that is on like a brown fuse box or gray fuse box that happens to be sitting and gets a - bright green wall. - And the only thing in the frame is a green wall and a fuse box, - and the fuse box is composed using rule of thirds, - and it's a beautiful image. - It's got a nice graphic quality to it, - and it's not that complex you're going to start reckoned. - If you start looking for things like this, - you're gonna start recognizing these patterns fairly quickly. - Another tip to abstract ER images is is pay attention to your distance. - Sometimes, - if you get really close to a subject, - it can help abstract the image out. - Because when you get really close, - you start removing context. - Once you start removing context and you're just looking at lines and shapes instead of an - actual object that registers in your brain, - or you can get really far away again when you get really far away, - remove context and different form. - You remove the context created by detail, - and when you do that, - then you know a bunch of houses sitting on a hill just become a bunch of rectangles and - triangles. - Finally, - lenses can help create a sense of abstraction. - Lenses to have a longer focal lengths can flatten perspective, - and when you flatten perspective, - it immediately begins to compress a three dimensional image into two dimensions, - therefore, - making it a little more abstract. - Ah, - I know I wasn't gonna focus on gear, - but for those of you who happened tohave long lenses available. - Um, - try shooting with it. - If you have ah, - 200 millimeters zoom, - Try shooting with the 200 millimeters zoom and pay attention to the compression effect that - lenses like that give you. - So that's all I have for this week. - So if you have any questions, - if you have any other things that haven't covered in these lectures, - feel free again to email me or to post a question on the discussion page. - I will try and get to those a soon as possible. - For those of you who are so waiting on my comments for your images, - bear with me. - You guys have posted all thought of images, - so it's taking me a while t crank through all those images. - In any case, - good luck this week, - and I'll see you in the comment section