cafnr communications brown bag session on photography 101

Brown Bag Session on Photography 101Genevieve HowardCAFNR CommunicationsAugust 20, 2010

Welcome!

What we will talk about today• Three types of shots:

close, medium and wide

• Horizontal vs. vertical

• Rule of thirds• Elements of

composition• Clean backgrounds

• Get closer, get higher, get lower

• Context• Leading lines• Color• Landscapes• Faces, not backs• Portraits• Cameras

Three types of shots of rope

by lrargerich

by Seldom Scene Photography

by mikebairdClose

Wide

Medium

Horizontal vs. Vertical

by Matt Howard

by Matt Howard

When is it good to use?•When subject is wider than tall•You need horizontal movement•For a sense of space

When is it good to use?•When subject is taller than wide•You need vertical movement•For a sense of focus

Rule of thirds

The eye usually moves from left to right, top to bottom, similar to reading.

by Genevieve Howard

Elements of composition

•Line: moves the eye through the photo.•Shape: defines the edges. Think of silhouettes.•Form: the 3-D aspect of an object.•Color• Hue (what we think of as the named colors ) • Value (lighter or darker) • Saturation (intensity)•Pattern: repetition of line, shape, form or color.•Space: negative and positive.

Clean backgrounds

Which photo is more powerful for you?

Negative space

Positive space

Get closer, get higher, get lower

by Nicole Jordan

by Franklin Henderson

by Franklin Henderson

Which photo is more powerful for you?

Context

by Keith Montgomery

by Franklin Henderson

Which is stronger?

by Genevieve Howard

Rule of thirds applied

Leading Lines

Leading lines are lines in a photo that lead your eye to a particular spot.

by Matt Howard

by Matt Howard

Color

by Matt Howard by Drew Backues

Look for color.

Landscapes

by Matt Howard

Make sure you have a foreground, as well as a middle ground and background. Movement of eye can be vertical or horizontal.

by Matt Howard

Faces, not backsIt’s natural for people to respond emotionally to human faces.

by elevatorlady by Keith Montgomery

Which photo draws you in more?

Portraits with soft lightSoft light works best. If outdoors, shoot in open shade or during overcast days.

by Nicole Jordanby Allison Ralston

Compare the quality of light and shadow on the faces. Which is more flattering?

ActionPeople in action make the image more exciting.

by Matt Howard

by Nicole Jordan

ExpressionLook for expression.

by Matt Howardby Nicole Jordan

Get closeFaces, and even just eyes, show personality and emotion.

by Nicole Jordan by Genevieve Howard

CamerasPoint-and-shoot or DSLR

Higher image quality, suitable for large prints.Heavier.More expensive.Need to purchase separate lenses.More complex.More control.

Fine for web quality or small prints.Lightweight.Small size is portable.More affordable.Easy to use.Get the best optical zoom you can.

Three thingsIf you could only remember three things the next time you take a photo…

•With portraits, look for a clean background.•Imagine a grid: rule of thirds.•Change your perspective: get closer, get higher, get lower.

Have fun and take more photos!

In appreciationSpecial thanks to all the photographers who generously let me use their work in my presentation.

You can see more of their work on Flickr.

Drew Backues http://www.flickr.com/photos/_omerad_/

Matt Howard http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsca23/

Nicole Jordan http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicole10f/

Keith Montgomery http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithmontgomery/

Thank you!• Questions?Genevieve Howard howardg@missouri.eduPhotos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/genhoward730/

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