Slideshow of frames

I had a hard time with these pictures because I started to get really wrapped up in exactly what constitutes as a frame, and what is just a pattern, or just one thing in the middle of two taller things, etc.... In my head it would be like "is that a frame?" "no, its more of a border", and those things seem really different. So this is what I ended up with!

Photo Comparison

Assignment #2 is to take a couple of really beautiful shots this week in two different ways. Take a shot centering the item of interest and then take a shot putting it on one of the "third" lines. Post the photos side by side and compare them on your blog.

I did this twice..... while I understood the assignement of course, and I did think that using thirds seems to be really powerful- but I had a hard time picking them, both to TAKE the picture, and which of the groups to post.

This is my daughter, at the play ground. The bottom is centered, and the top is on a third line.

This one is of one of my photo albums for my daughters pictures. The top is off centered, and the bottom is centered. It definitely changes the initial viceral response to the photo.

Composition

Photographic composition is the pleasing arrangement of subject matter elements within the picture area.

I want to share a page I found that was a really great, simple but detailed piece of information on composition.

http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm

One thing they talked about was viewpoint, and this is what was said about high viewpoint:

High Viewpoint and High Camera Angle

High viewpoints and high camera angles help orient the viewer, because they show relationships among all elements within the picture area and produce a psychological effect by minimizing the apparent strength or size of the subject.

This was interesting to me (as a psych student) because the current trend for MySpace and Facebook and other such sites is people to take high viewpoint pictures of themselves. From a photography student perspective, this seems like a good warning that shots from above can make the subject blend into its surroundings, and to avoid these shots if this isnt my desired effect; and to intentionally use the viewpoint if its important to make it easier for the audience to orient themselves.

Lighting Lessons!

So this was taken in the late afternoon; there was still a lot of natural light around me. No flash here.

This was taken at night; it was almost completely dark, and the only source of light was the lfash.

This was taken at about dinnertime, but it was raining out. Flash was on, but there was some natural light. That natural light was obviously interfered with by the rain.

I think really, the lighting really showed me that when to use the flash is really important, and that sometimes, its more angle than what the current light is. Below are two pictures of my siding that I took while it was raining. It is literally the EXACT same shot, but the bottom has flash, the top does not. I really started to play with that in the last few days.... while I knew that natural light was technically "better", I always just let the flash be on automatic. However, since the assignment was lighting, I played a bit.... the flash totally washes everything out. Sure, the focus is a bit better, and the shadows are a bit more dramatic, but look at the color that is captured from the rain and sunset when the flash was off! It was exciting, and encourages me a lot to shut the flash off more often.

Just two randoms I fell in love with.....

These were just two pictures I wanted to share; theyre obviously not an assignment, but thought it helped share a little bit about who I am!

This, is an edit of one of the pictures I used for "complimentary colors". I think this version is equally startling as the original, although its very different!

This is a picture my husband took of me and my daughter.... just wanted to share!

Monochrome, Complimentary,and Analogous Colors

I ended up doing an example of all three.... I thought it was a really interesting exercise. It certainly taught me the principles of the color wheel to walk around my house and go "all hues of the same color" "opposite each other... is red and blue opposite? No, red and GREEN...."

Below is monochrome. That means it is all hues of the same color; obviously, in this case, the color is green

Below are examples of a complimentary color scheme. This means the colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.

The above picture displays an example of an analogous color scheme. This photo shows green, blue and purple next to each other, and the three colors are also next to each other on the color wheel.

Sams Collage

I learned a lot from this assignment! About how important it is to pay attention to what you are catching in the corners of close ups; and how badly I want a lens for my camera thats better with macro!

Photo Comparison

I had a hard time, at first, trying to think of the best thing to use as a subject; then decided that maybe my husbands old hound dog/beagle would be a good subject! Her name is Penny..... these are the two pictures I chose to share (she eventually got sick of the flash and trying to ignore me, I think!).

I chose these two particular pictures, although they seem sort of similar, for a few reasons. One- the one on the right is the quietly silly, happy hound that I know and love. The picture encompasses the chair that is "her" chair- hence the blanket and throw pillows. Those are hers, and no one else is allowed to touch them! The one on the left, I was standing above her, looking down at her while she was starting to get anxious from the impromptu photosoot. The other side to Penny is her immobility from anxiety sometimes; shes a rescue dog, and after a while, many things start to make her uncomfortable. She literally almost freezes in place and zones out a bit. Here, shes certainly more relaxed than she sometimes is, but knowing her, I can see that she doesnt feel well. I know that when I have anxiety, I feel like everyone around me is zoomed in on me; so the closeup of this seems fitting.

I like the one on the right better, of course. I dont like knowing shes unhappy or uncomfortable. However, the twisted positions she puts herself in in that chair when shes happy is always a source of a quiet smile, and this picture does them same. Belly up, a little smile on her face and her lips falling open a little bit.