Better Snapshot

[terrig]

I took this ins Scene Mode for close up. Please let me know how I can do better.

[Manfred M]

Terri - let me throw a few compositional thoughts your way.

First of all, your subject matter is in focus, while the background in slightly out of focus. This works compositionally and it something you should keep in mind as you shoot. The other thing going for you is that the background, by and large is the the same colour (green) which simplifies the image; also something that works well here.

What should you watch for?

1. You have more or less centred your subject. That is not necessarily something that is compositionally very strong. As well, you have a lot of other material in the image; you would have had a much stronger image had you been up closer and cut out much of the background. Your subject is the tiger lily, not all the other stuff in the image.

2. Light coloured objects draw the viewer's eyes from the subject and that is not a good thing compositionally. If you look around the image frame, you have a light coloured bud at the bottom right and and another one intruding from the bottom left. A tighter crop to exclude these would help compositionally. One of the last steps I take before I push the shutter release is to run my eyes around the frame of the image to look for these types of intrusions.

3. Consider portrait format (turn your camera 90 degrees). Your subject tends to vertical, so an up and down shot would put in more flower and less background; this would be a stronger composition as well.

[terrig]

Terri - let me throw a few compositional thoughts your way.

First of all, your subject matter is in focus, while the background in slightly out of focus. This works compositionally and it something you should keep in mind as you shoot. The other thing going for you is that the background, by and large is the the same colour (green) which simplifies the image; also something that works well here.

What should you watch for?

1. You have more or less centred your subject. That is not necessarily something that is compositionally very strong. As well, you have a lot of other material in the image; you would have had a much stronger image had you been up closer and cut out much of the background. Your subject is the tiger lily, not all the other stuff in the image.

2. Light coloured objects draw the viewer's eyes from the subject and that is not a good thing compositionally. If you look around the image frame, you have a light coloured bud at the bottom right and and another one intruding from the bottom left. A tighter crop to exclude these would help compositionally. One of the last steps I take before I push the shutter release is to run my eyes around the frame of the image to look for these types of intrusions.

3. Consider portrait format (turn your camera 90 degrees). Your subject tends to vertical, so an up and down shot would put in more flower and less background; this would be a stronger composition as well.

Thanks for responding. I'm going to try this again. The one question I have is would you not center the subject?

[Digital]

Compositionally, in most cases you get a stronger image if the main subject is off center. There is a Rule of Thirds that is used in photography. Image a tic-tac -doe grid. If one places the main subject in the photograph at one of the four intersecting points (where the horizontal line intersects with the vertical lines) you tend to get a much more dynamic image.
Below is an example of the subject placed in the frame using the Rule of Thirds.



Bruce

[Manfred M]

One common compositional technique is called the "rule of thirds"; (a guideline really) something that painters have been using for the last couple of hundred years.

You effectively divide the image into thirds, horizontally and vertically, and try to place the main subject to lie roughly on one of these thirds, especially where the horizontal and vertical lines meet. This tends to give you a much stronger image from a compositional standpoint. Have a quick look at the following link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

As an example; in the following image; the lighthouse sits on one of the thirds as does the cliff. The image is stronger than had the lighthouse been centred in the image. The light is roughly on at the point where a horizontal and vertical "third" meet.

[terrig]

Terri - let me throw a few compositional thoughts your way.

First of all, your subject matter is in focus, while the background in slightly out of focus. This works compositionally and it something you should keep in mind as you shoot. The other thing going for you is that the background, by and large is the the same colour (green) which simplifies the image; also something that works well here.

What should you watch for?

1. You have more or less centred your subject. That is not necessarily something that is compositionally very strong. As well, you have a lot of other material in the image; you would have had a much stronger image had you been up closer and cut out much of the background. Your subject is the tiger lily, not all the other stuff in the image. Thanks for your response. Should I not totally center it then?

2. Light coloured objects draw the viewer's eyes from the subject and that is not a good thing compositionally. If you look around the image frame, you have a light coloured bud at the bottom right and and another one intruding from the bottom left. A tighter crop to exclude these would help compositionally. One of the last steps I take before I push the shutter release is to run my eyes around the frame of the image to look for these types of intrusions.

3. Consider portrait format (turn your camera 90 degrees). Your subject tends to vertical, so an up and down shot would put in more flower and less background; this would be a stronger composition as well.

[Digital]

Terri, if you meant to say something in your last post it did not come through other than the quote by Manfred.


Bruce

[JPS]

As the guys have said you can use this method; here's a rough idea of how it works. But remember it's your picture present it how you like it best.
Cheers
John

Original


Cropped using rule of third method


Finished

[terrig]

As the guys have said you can use this method; here's a rough idea of how it works. But remember it's your picture present it how you like it best.
Cheers
John


Original


Cropped using rule of third method


Finished

This is great! Love it!!

[terrig]

Terri, if you meant to say something in your last post it did not come through other than the quote by Manfred.


Bruce

I guess I goofed!

[terrig]

One common compositional technique is called the "rule of thirds"; (a guideline really) something that painters have been using for the last couple of hundred years.

You effectively divide the image into thirds, horizontally and vertically, and try to place the main subject to lie roughly on one of these thirds, especially where the horizontal and vertical lines meet. This tends to give you a much stronger image from a




compositional standpoint. Have a quick look at the following link.


This is Beautiful! Thanks!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

As an example; in the following image; the lighthouse sits on one of the thirds as does the cliff. The image is stronger than had the lighthouse been centred in the image. The light is roughly on at the point where a horizontal and vertical "third" meet.

[terrig]

Compositionally, in most cases you get a stronger image if the main subject is off center. There is a Rule of Thirds that is used in photography. Image a tic-tac -doe grid. If one places the main subject in the photograph at one of the four intersecting points (where the horizontal line intersects with the vertical lines) you tend to get a much more dynamic image.
Below is an example of the subject placed in the frame using the Rule of Thirds.



Bruce

Gorgeous! Thanks!

[terrig]

Terri - let me throw a few compositional thoughts your way.

First of all, your subject matter is in focus, while the background in slightly out of focus. This works compositionally and it something you should keep in mind as you shoot. The other thing going for you is that the background, by and large is the the same colour (green) which simplifies the image; also something that works well here.

What should you watch for?

1. You have more or less centred your subject. That is not necessarily something that is compositionally very strong. As well, you have a lot of other material in the image; you would have had a much stronger image had you been up closer and cut out much of the background. Your subject is the tiger lily, not all the other stuff in the image.

2. Light coloured objects draw the viewer's eyes from the subject and that is not a good thing compositionally. If you look around the image frame, you have a light coloured bud at the bottom right and and another one intruding from the bottom left. A tighter crop to exclude these would help compositionally. One of the last steps I take before I push the shutter release is to run my eyes around the frame of the image to look for these types of intrusions.

3. Consider portrait format (turn your camera 90 degrees). Your subject tends to vertical, so an up and down shot would put in more flower and less background; this would be a stronger composition as well.

This is great information! One question...I was trying to get some greenery behind it...If I turn it to portrait format won't I get more siding of garage or will the focus be more on the flower? Guess I need to experiment.

[Digital]

Terri: you as the photographer make the final decision (unless you are being paid by a client) on what each photograph should look like based on what you wanted to convey in the picture you captured.
CiC members can offer suggestions to you, but you, as the photographer, make the final decision. After all it is your photograph.
Terri, you answered your own question- "Guess I need to experiment."
Keep shooting.


Bruce

[Manfred M]

This is great information! One question...I was trying to get some greenery behind it...If I turn it to portrait format won't I get more siding of garage or will the focus be more on the flower? Guess I need to experiment.

Terri, we have no idea as to how or where you are shooting, but consider a couple of options:

1. Look at John's crop of your flower. If you got that close to it while shooting, you would would something similar to what he produced.

2. A very common technique in photography is referred to as "working the shot"; where you go around taking different pictures of the same object; 5, 10 20, 30, who cares; a digital shot costs nothing really. Then look at them all and work with the one(s) you like best. Shoot some landscape and some portrait format.

3. A typical error a lot of inexperieinced photographers make is to not get close enough to the subject. There is no photographic rule saying you have to get the whole flower. Try different distances and zoom settings on your camera to see what works best.