DigaPixBlog

Record shots are excellent for text books or showing our friends and neighbors where you have been.  But as photographers we need to photograph the exotic in ways that makes the uninvolved viewer interested in our images.  The art photograph does not just tell us what the photographer saw but rather how he saw.

This aquarium shot displays an interesting species of jellyfish.  It shows good detail of the creature in motion.  I like the placement of the subject in the lower right one forth quadrant which keeps it from becoming stagnant.  This is a nice specimen shot.

If we are going to get photographs of aquatic creatures without getting wet we need to make sure that there is nothing in the image to indicate the picture was taken through glass, such as reflections.  In the lower left hand corner there is indication of a water spot on the glass.  This could be removed with just a little computer cloning.  Better still try to catch this sort of thing before taking the shot.

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Finding new ways to express common subjects is one of the challenges the photo-artist faces every time they present an image to the public.  This can be done by finding a new angle of view, a different crop, tighter shot, better light, computer manipulation, etc.  If our images are to standout they must have something new to say about familiar subjects.

The photographer of this common image elected to use the computer to create his vision.  By converting sixty percent of the image to black and white and selectively leaving a portion in color the layout takes on a new feel and meaning.  The photo-artist came in close to eliminate background distractions.  This particular type of plant has very graceful curves to the leaves that have grace and flow.

I like the way the creator of this image elected to have the green wash on the surface behind the protruding cone.  The photographer may wish to take another pass at removing all the unwanted color down in the lower left hand corner, there is still a hint of green in that area.

PS: This plant is not a cactus, its a succulent.

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One of the things cameras are good at is recoding pictures.  This sounds simplistic but the photo-artist needs to go beyond recording events and start interpreting them, making their images unique to their vision, their eye.  The photo-artist wants to be that one photographer in ten whose images are different and standout.

This is a quite mobile, a humorous toy.  I like the bright color and simple background.  The photographer has composed the image with space in the front of the subject giving some room for it to move into.

The viewer may note that the image appears to be a little soft.  With a subject like this with its relatively shallow depth we would expect it to be extremely sharp.  Perhaps the shot was hand held and a little shake was introduced.  Above all I would like to see a little more of the photographer in the image, more creativity rather than recording a quite subject.

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The human eye is amazing in its ability to perceive light from extreme sunlight to deep shadows.  Our man made recording equipment, cameras, have limitations as to their ability to document severe lighting conditions.  When the whites have no detail we refer to it as ‘blown out’ and when the shadows look solid black it is said to be ‘blocked up’.  Most equipment has a latitude of four to seven stops.

The stained glass windows in this shot have allowed the photographer to shoot directly into the light and maintain  detail throughout most of the shadows in the scene.  The colored glass is acting as a neutral density filter which helps balance the intensity of light.  At the same time the hues in the windows have transferred some of their color to the surface of the stone.

The photo-artist has selected the smallest column in the lower right hand corner to be vertical while allowing the other columns and window to keystone.  This gives the feeling of an overwhelming power, like a wave, hanging over the viewer’s head. 

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Classic car shows are a wonderful place to photograph the graphics of line and shape.  The autos of the past had personality.  I love the reliably and efficacy of today’s transportation but many are indistinguishable from manufacturer to manufacturer and year to year.

This photograph shows interesting gradation in color as the light moves across the convex surface of the hood and fender.  The grill has the anthropomorphic characteristics of the mouth of some character from the cartoon classic ‘Cars”.  You almost feel as if it could growl out some words of warning about how tough this big guy is.

I like the layout with only one head light in the composition.  This keeps the photograph from becoming a record shot if this make and model, nice job of cropping. 

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There are two things I am continually harping about and that is letting you image tell a story and eliminating extraneous information.  This photograph does both exceptionally well.  The viewer should note that there is nothing that could be removed from this photograph without altering the story.

When looking at this composition you can almost hear the mother whispering to the child; “What is that?”,  “Isn’t it pretty?”.  This image gives me a feeling of intimacy between these two humans, bonded together with love and shearing, a quiet moment.  This is a universal story of discovery and teaching that only a parent and child can shear.

The photo-artist has elected to use muted tones in this presentation.  This gives the photograph a quiet understated feeling.  The photographer could have elected to increase the saturation which would have altered the atmosphere of the scene a little.

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An aquarium like the zoo is a good place to capture images of wildlife without the bother of going out into the wild.  The trick is to take the shot that does not appear staged our taken in a manmade environment.  This requires isolating the subject in as natural a scene as possible.

When I first saw this photograph of these Pacific Sea Nettles (Chysaora Fuscescens) I thought the photographer had inadvertently sent the picture in upside down.  Not knowing anything about jellyfish I thought they just floated near the surface with their ball in an upright position.  I contacted the photographer and he assured me the orientation was correct.  Now that I look at it I can see that the light in the water is brighter at the top.

What strikes me about this particular image is the complementary colors of orange and blue.  These hues always work well together.  The exposure is right on and the photo-artist has avoided any reflections that would have indicated that this was shot through glass.  If you look closely you will see an ‘S’ curve to the flow of the pattern of creatures.

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Studio lighting is an art and a science.  Depending on what the photographer is trying to accomplish the right lighting setup for one subject can be completely wrong for another.  Example: if you wanted to photograph a painting you would place two lights of equal value at forty five degrees to achieve good copy light.  However if you applied this same setup for a portrait it would be boring, it would be copy light, no drama, no interest.

When starting to learn studio lighting I recommend the photographer start by learning how to use one light and supplement it with reflectors to fill shadows.  The setup should try to duplicate window lighting.  Place a large white nylon panel between the subject and the light; this is called a scrim or light box.  If you don’t have nylon try a white sheet thou the bluing used in the fabric may cause a slight color cast.  For reflectors you can use white cardboard, aluminum foil or even mirrors. 

You may want to use an inanimate subject so you can try different ratios of light (or reflectors) to subject distances, make a bowl of fruit look like a painting before working with a live subject that won’t stay in the same place while you try different setups.

Rule: light falls off at the square of the distance to the subject.  When you understand this you are on your way to understanding lighting. 

Don’t be concerned about Rembrandt lighting, Frankenstein lighting, hair lighting, rim lighting, or any other techniques or details you may hear about, just get a good understanding how to use a single source light with reflectors.  Let your motto be; “We only have one sun”.  Someday you may be ready for two or more lights.

A common mistake people often make is placing the subject to close to the backdrop and thus getting a subject shadow on the seamless.  Also keeping the backdrop at a distance will keep it out of focus.

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Photos of the kids growing up are some of the most important images you will ever take.  Yesterday while packing some things with my son and grandson we came across a group of old family photo albums.  In there were photos of myself at fifteen and another of my son at the same age.  My grandson who is now fifteen looks remarkably like the two of us when those photographs were taken.  Before seeing this I had no idea we were so much alike.

This young man’s image will be seen fifty years from now and he may reflect back on that camping trip as one of the best times of his life, a time with family without care or needs.  The photographer used a flash to capture this likens.  I like the natural un-staged expression.  The tee shirt graphic helps add to the story of this outing.

There is a suggestion the photographer may want to consider.  The flash was taken at night with a backdrop far enough away that none of the light was captured by the camera, leaving a solid black back ground.  This resulted in the loss of definition between the boy’s dark hair and the dark environment.  It would be nice to have a little separation between the two.  At the same time no light reflected off the stick holding the marshmallow which looks like it is floating in space.

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For the past couple of weeks I have been packing my things preparing to move to a new home.  While cleaning out one of my drawers I came across an old tin type I must have picked up years ago and forgotten about.  I was amazing how this hundred plus year old image was so unaffected by time, true archival quality far beyond what we can print today.  How many of our images will people be looking at a century from now?

This architectural photograph has the feeling of an old and preserved print.  Not quite a tin type but a nice quality just the same.  The graphics are nice but without the manipulation the image would be a record shot of the structure.  I like the way the photo-artist has softened the image around the outer edges giving this the look of inserted wood cut prints I have seen in antique books from the 19th century.

The photographer has used the computer to take an ordinary shot of an interesting subject and make it into a delightful composition.  The end result fits the subject matter extremely well.

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Panoramic photographs can add a whole new dimension to photography.  The viewer is automatically attracted to them because of their unusual format and novelty.  One of the problems with this format is that too often the photographer will forget that the same rules of graphics and layout that apply to a good 8 x 10 image also are necessary for the panorama shot.

This photo-artist has not neglected the fundamentals of landscape photography.   By keeping the small section of land in the foreground he has established the traditional landscape trinity of foreground, middle ground and distance.  The non organic buildings standout against the white vegetation caused by the ultraviolet effect.  This UV effect gives the image a fairytale feeling.

I find it interest how the sky has remained an 18% gray while the reflection of the sky on the water’s surface has shifted to almost pure black.

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The ability to see faces and animals in the clouds is a human ability I don’t think any of natures other creatures can do.  We look up at the shifting vapor and imagine all sorts of creatures and things in the ferment of the passing mass.  This tenancy in imagination also can apply to other objects such as rock formations or the patterns on our ceilings.

This image taken of an orchid displays what appears to be the face and wings of a bat.  A very colorful bat, but that’s what I saw when I first opened this photograph.  I like the way the photographer has come in close and eliminated much of the background and even the tips of the orchids peddles.  The bright colors are most interesting.

However I do have one major problem with the image as shown.  It appears to be soft and out of focus.  I think this was caused by too much cropping.  With a micro shot like this we need something within the composition to be crisp in order to keep the viewer’s eye from wondering.

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Midday landscapes can work but often they lack drama because of the flat light and deep shadows.  Early morning or late afternoon cross light has a much narrower contrast range, this allows the image to keep both the shadow and highlight details.

The midday landscape presented here has overcome most of the issues associated with flat light.  There is good detail in the foreground hillside with the flowers and the middle ground has the wonderful colors of this Pacific bay, a color not often seen along the California cost.   The photographer’s selection of the extreme vertical format creates additional interest to the scene.

There are a couple of suggestions I would like to make.  I know this is almost imperceptible but the horizon of the ocean in the distance is not quite horizontal.   It’s something   I always look for in a seascape.  The second recommendation I would like to make is the light to dark contrast is weighted a little too much to the dark side, by working with the levels curve this can be altered a little.  This will not bring out the shadows in the trees which were lost due to the midday contrast but it will brighten up the foreground and beach slightly.  At the same time the rocks in the distance could use a 20% dodge to bring out a little more detail.

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Keeping a sharp eye out while photographing nature can result in some extraordinary finds, that small extra something that makes an ordinary scene into an extraordinary image, the detail that acts as an epiphany around which a story realized.

This photographer had his eyes open when he came across this small caterpillar hidden within the flower.  This creature works with the flower to add another dimension of life to the subject.  The clear blue sky backdrop lets the whites and yellows of the flower jump off the page.

I would like to make a few suggestions concerning this photograph.  First the focus appears to be off as if the image was blowup too much on the computer perhaps due to cropping to tight from a larger scene.  One of the flower’s yellow anthers is cutting across the neck of the worm.  It would be nice if this could be avoided.  And the last item concerns the visible background between the peddles of the flower.  I would recommend selecting this area and cloning in the same blue as seen at the top of the flower.   

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Capturing the personality of the subject in a formal portrait setting is the responsibility of the photographer or in some commercial situations the art director.  What is important is that the person behind the camera gets the subject to relax and feel comfortable with the unordinary situation of having a large glass eye pointed at them. 

This subject appears to be relaxed and comfortable in this studio shot.  The expression on the subjects face and look in the eyes asks the viewer to relate to the subject on an anthropomorphic level.  The pose with the foot over the prop demonstrates that the animal is alert while at the same time it is relaxed.  This pet is clean, healthy and well cared for.

The lighting appears to be a single source from the left with reflection form the right.  The selection for background hue blends nicely with the color of the dog’s coat.  I feel that the horizontal cropping was a good choice with just enough space between the subject and frame.

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Many great travel photographs tell a story, one the viewer can create without any descriptive narrative from the photographer.  If the photographer has to tell the viewer about the meaning of the image it is not a good photograph, it should be universal, so any viewer can understand the photographer’s intent.

This photograph of a guard outside the Greek Parliament is an excellent example of a shot that works.  Not only the costume of this solder lets us know this is a sentry in Greece but the countries colors of blue and white are seen in the background along with that nations distinctive script.  I like the feeling of strength in this image enhanced by the vertical lines and format of the composition.

The unique pose, with his foot extended toward the camera, is what makes this image truly different.  Most photographers would have taken the shot as a profile and left it at that.  But this photo-artist was able to find a new and interesting way to capture what could have been just another travel shot. 

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The keystone effect or sometimes called keystoning is caused by trying to project a vertical surface on the tilted image plane of a camera.  Keystoning causes the vertical surface to appear tilted or take the shape of a trapezoid.  The only way to prevent this is to use a camera with a tilt able image plane such as a bellows camera.  That is one reason large format bellows cameras are still used in architectural photography.

This photographer has used the keystone effect to his advantage.  The tilt of the building gives additional drama to the bazaar decorative nature of this facade.  The tree in the foreground adds depth to the image and helps keep it out of the realm of a purely record shot.

When you look at the levels curve of this black and white image you will see that the distribution of the scale is almost flat across the spectrum.  This has resulted in excellent tone rendition without blown out whites or blacks without detail.  Note the detail in the leaves and brick work around the windows.

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When converting an image through the use of computer filters you need to start with a good composition.  The filters may affect the mood and style in the process but the underlying graphics are required as a foundation to build upon.

The graphics in this composition lead the eye further and further into the scene.  The leading lines of the shadows and fence take the viewer from the foreground to the barn and then across the meadow into the woods beyond.  There are two sloped diagonal lines created by the foreground hill and the meadow that converge at the corner of the barn about one third from the right hand frame, a very pleasing composition with a feeling of balance and tranquility.

The painterly effect combined with the tinting has the look of a watercolor or ink wash print.  This image is a good example of what can be accomplished when a photo-artist starts with an excellent photograph.

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The ability to alter a photograph for the purpose of creating a mood or feeling is the mark of a photo-artist.  They are taking the original shot and converting it to their own vision beyond what the camera can achieve.  They start with a good image and mold it to a new vision.

This image has been modified to give the effect of a hand tinted photograph which gives a soft low key effect.  I can see where this image could be used in the greeting card industry.  The viewer should take note that this photo-artiest started with a very good original with excellent subject, story and composting and only then altered the result to a slightly different vision.

The child has an interesting expression.  Very natural and engaging with a slight pout, a little bit of Shirley Temple.

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There are all sorts of filters out there that have nothing to do with the computer.  By using simple tools the photographer can achieve some interesting results.  Look of such things as reflective surfaces, obscure glass, screens, even fog will change the appearance of a subject.  One cool technique is to smear some Vaseline on clear glass, not your lens, to get a very interesting soft focus filter.

This photographer used ribbed glass to shoot these flowers.  The distortion form the vertical pattern in the glass has created a segmented scene as if the image were chopped up into strips and pasted back together.  Note there are little beads of water on the transparent surface.  I like the brilliant colors of the flowers that appear to be accented by the distortion through the glass filter.

I would like to make one small suggestion.  The vertical lines appear to be tilting as they move from left to right.  The photographer might consider making the pattern vertical or accentuating the tilt to make it look more purposeful.

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The application of filters to a photograph must be more than an attempt to save a bad photograph.  The photo-artist needs to have a vision of what they want the end result to look like.  They should see into the original image and draw out their perceived result with the application of filtration not just try every tool in their pallet to come up with something that changes the original.

This photographer saw the potential for of a line drawing within the original composition.  With the expert application of computer filtration they were able to create what appears to be a hundred year old sketch of this Italian town and bridge.  This feeling of age was skillfully done with the additional use of fadeout around the illustration and feathering of the lines as a sketch artist might have done.  Also you will note the use of a color tint to all the whites.  This has the appearance of a color wash and/or age.

This is an excellent example of what can be achieved to take a good image and make it into a much better presentation of the subject.

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When traveling we sometimes see a scene that interests us but we don’t take the time to photograph it saying to ourselves that we will get it on the way back.  But when we return later everything has changed; the light is different or someone has started construction right in the middle of the landscape.  My advice to the photographer is take the image when you are inspired the first time.  You can’t go back.

This storm shot was taken during a road trip and as you can see the weather was changing by the moment.  I like the nice panoramic feel to this image.  There is a sparseness to the land that is dominated by the storm front.  The small rainbow in the lower left tells us there is wet weather passing through the area.  I like the fact that the photographer left a mass of blue sky above the storm balancing the parry.

There are a couple of things the photographer might wish to alter in this image.  The overall image is on the muddy side, there are no clean whites.  If the levels and curves are adjusted to the back and white points there will be better contrast in the scene.  The horizon is tilted.  This is probably the natural slope of the land but it might be interesting to make the horizon level to give a feeling of a flat plain. 

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People are often so enamored with their subject that they turn a blind eye to any imperfections in resulting photographs.  This is frequently true of wild animal photographs where the subject is exotic or difficult to capture but the resulting photo did not result in an interesting image.  This can also be true of people and animals we love.

This photographer wanted to get the feeling of their new puppy at rest after a long walk.  I like the way the photographer got down low, at the level of the subject.  This makes the image much more personal.  The clean background helps the viewer focus their attention on the subject. 

I would like to recommend improving the lighting conditions.  This image is to muddy and under exposed.  It does give the shot mood but not much in the way of interest to the unenvolved viewer.  We always have to keep in mind that the audience knows nothing about the subject or the history of the taking on the photograph.

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In a formal portrait setting the photographer is in charge of the situation.  They can control the environment, the lighting, the background, the props and they have to control their subject.  It is essential to direct and relate to the person, adult or child, which is being photographed so that the results the photographer envisions are achieved.

This photographer had complete control of the situation surrounding the creation of this image.  You will note how important the props are in telling the story of this little girl.  The layering of the flowers, wagon and teddy bear all contribute to telling us about a moment in a child’s life, perhaps a little idyllic but a wonderful fairy tale story.

I like the addition of the star bursts in post processing on the computer.  They add to the dream like quality of the composition.  The way the color green is used throughout the illustration acts as a unifying element.  This photographer has a wonderful imagination.

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Photographing children, boys in particular, can be a challenge.  At a certain age they want to ham it up in front of the camera to the point that it is not worth the effort to try to get a serious image.  But there can be moments where they come across with personality and character.

This young man, apparently at a formal affair, was captured at one of those moments where his inner self and personality were showing through the outer child.  We can invasion him fifteen or twenty years from now as a key player is a similar function, perhaps as the bridegroom.  He looks so grown up, so serious and proud.

There are a couple of suggestions I would like to make to the photographer.  It might be nice if we could crop the image a little to take the subject a slightly more off the center of the composition.  If the photographer has access to a computer software package that will allow a little cloning the light above and to the right of center on the edge of the frame could be cloned out.

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Outdoor portraits are normally not formal.  They are more often than not taken on the spur of the moment with little planning.  What we call grab shots.  That does not mean they cannot be well done, but too many times the results are disappointing because the photographer is not paying attention to the background or lighting and gets an unflattering result.

This photographer has presented an example of what can be done with casual portraits.  This young man was photographed in the shade where the lighting would not cause unflattering shadows under the nose and chin.  Also the background is a solid green mass of grass giving a simple non-distracting backdrop.

I like the way the subject is relating to the camera looking over his shoulder out of the corner of his eyes.  This gives a casual feel to this informal outdoor portrait.  I also think the choice of a square format was a good one.

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Very often you can tell a much broader story by selecting detail rather than showing too much information.  The viewer’s imagination should never be under estimated.  Try letting them make up their own mind what is behind the image.  By just giving a compelling composition the photo-artist can set the imagination of the audience free to make up their own story, and it may not be the same tale for all viewers.

This view of just the young ladies stocking and shoes has a natural appeal to the eye.  By including the single hand the photographer has added that epiphany, that sudden realization that we want to know more about this subject. 

The photo-artist has done a clever thing by tilting the composition so that the horizon, the curb, is tilted at an exaggerated angle.  This throws the viewer off balance and adds drama to the layout. 

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Design can define a time in history.  This is particularly true of art deco from the 1920’s and 30’s in America and Europe.  The instant you see architecture, fashion or industrial design from this period you are set in time and place.  This is most certainly true of automobiles from those decades.  This style is elegant, functional and always modern. 

The photographer here has captured the simplicity of design in this fragment of a view.  The lighting allows the flowing lines to blend together with detail and grace.  The variation of light from top (dark) to bottom (light) lets the viewer follow along the formed sheet metal to a Cyclops of an eye.  The paint color has the richness of silk.

This is an excellent example of telling a story without giving any more information about the subject than necessary.  If more of the automobile was visible along with background the photo-artist would not have created the same elegant composition.

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Multiple subjects can be tricky to work into one composition.  Somehow they need to be tied together so we don’t end up with two photographs in one frame.  This is often done with leading lines or overlapping subjects, but something needs to unify the composition.

This photograph is interesting in that it was taken at a critical moment when one of the performers is in midair about to complete a flipping motion.  The young lady on the right has apparently completed the same movement.  This was good timing on the part of the photographer.

I am of the opinion that these two subjects are to separated to unite the composition.  This could just as well have been two separate photographs.  Another thing to note is that the image appears to be a little soft.  This may have been caused by hand holding a long lens under low light conditions.

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Dramatic lighting in a photograph is often as important as the subject.  The contrast between light and shadow is most striking when one light source is used.  A good studio photographer will learn how to properly light any subject with just one light, like they say we only have one sun.

The musician depicted here was lit with one tungsten light above and to the right.  This source of light has given good definition to the patters of the fabric of his shirt and a strong highlight on the right side of his face.  The left side is nicely filled in from a reflective surface bouncing light back across his body.  I like the way the metal on the instrument has picked up reflections that help fill in the deep shadow area in the lower left hand corner.

There is one small recommendation I would like to make.  If the photographer wished he could clone out the bright object in the background that is striking him in the back like a light saber.

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