DigaPixBlog

Looking for detail in found objects can lead to some interesting results.  Rather than photographing the entire object look for hidden subjects that can tell the story without exposing the viewer to the entire scene.  This will add a little mystery to the image and let the viewer add their own experience and imagination to the photograph.

Our photographer found this detail on the surface of an old weight.  The surface is pitted with time and has a promising texture that can be exploited with a strong cross light.  The photo-artist has placed the numeral high in the composition to give the graphic more interest. 

I would suggest that the photographer try to get a stronger light to skim across the surface when photographing textured surfaces.  This can be bumped up a little on the computer to bring the ends of the levels curve closer to the center which will give more contrast to the surface patterns.

Click on Image 

    Modified 

Share This

When you think about it shooting images through a water drop is like using a filter on the camera.  It is in effect a medium that the reflected light from a subject passes through which alters the scene through the spherical contours of the surface of the translucent material. 

This water drop image was taken of a wedding photograph that appears four times in the foreground droplets.  I like the ghostly shape and texture of the white background  bride in the photograph.  I think this technique works best when the original subject matter is so far out of focus that it is difficult to determine what it is.  That makes it even more of a surprise when the viewer recognizes the resulting image held within the water drops.

The placement of the foreground subject follows the traditional rule of thirds rather than placing it on the centerline of the composition.  The sipia tome of the original photo adds a nice antique feeling.

Click on Image 

Share This

We may be drawn to photograph other’s works of art, and there is a time for being true to the original artist’s work when photographing it.  However if the photographer is to create an image that goes beyond recording someone easels art form we must find a personal way of expressing our feelings about the subject.

This bronze oriental statue has wonderful potential.  I like the glow of the backdrop and the cross light that brings out the texture on the surface of the sculpture.  This would make a nice catalog photo displaying the quality of the original work of art.

The photographer probably did not have much control over the lighting or the setup of the subject.  This limits how it can be creatively interpreted.  But if the image is to reflect the photographer’s insight it needs to be captured in a way that the casual viewer would not envision.  A new angle, different lighting, graphic detail are all ways to see a work of art in a new way.

Click on Image

Share This

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.

Click on Image 

Share This

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. 

Click on Image 

Share This

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.

Click on Image 

Share This

If we look hard enough anything can be broken down into smaller and smaller parts.  This is true in photography as well, a building for instance can be seen as a complete structure in an environment or as sub-components and details.  And it is often in the details that we find some of our most interesting graphics. 

This photographer has focused in on a small, significant, detail of a sailing ship.  He could have shot this ship in many different ways (and I hope he did), but he has presented this interesting graphic detail.   When we break it down the graphic consist of a vertical line engulfed in a pattern of curved lines.  The portion of rope moving off to the background tells us the purpose of the foreground elements and tells us this was taken on a boat and nowhere else.

I would like the photographer to study the subject a little closer before taking the shot.  The stain on the top rope could have been prevented by rotating this section or possibly taking the image from a slightly different angle.   The closer the detail shot the more the slight imperfections matter.

Click on Image 

Share This

Flag photographs are those where the shadow of an object becomes the dominant subject in a composition.  The solid source of the shadow may or may not be visible within the image. 

The photograph we have here is all about how light form a single source, in this case a window, creates a modified replica of the hanging light fixture.  This is an interesting composition because of the visible information making up the graphic pattern.  There are five elements in this scene; the square cutout in the wall, the light fixture, the shadow, the window light on the wall and the negative space.

The photographer could have, if they wished, even reduce this simple composition down to fewer and fewer elements.  For instance the cutout in the wall could be eliminated.  This would let our imagination determine where the fixture was coming from.  Or the cutout and the fixture could be removed and leave just the shadow, light and negative space and ask the viewer to wonder at the source of the subject.  I do not mean to say that one is better than the other just different ways of working with the same compostion.

Click on Image 

     Crop #1     Crop #2 

Share This

Canada celebrates Flag Day on February 15th; on that date in 1965 the maple leaf flag was inaugurated at the official ceremony held in Ottawa at Parliament Hill.  There are six points on the leaf but unlike the stars on the U.S. flag they do not represent the territories or provinces of Canada.  The maple leaf flag was designed by George F. G. Stanley.

The leaf on the flag was used as the subject for this water drop photograph in which only the leaf and the center white area are shown.  The drop or stream of suspended water has an interesting effect of multiple maple leaf images down its lower length transitioning from a red blob to the complete leaf in five stages.

The water has been stopped in midair giving it the appearance of a misshapen icicle.  The leaf in the background is cutoff at three edges so that the only complete view we have of the national symbol is in the bottom of the water bead.  Perhaps a little could be cropped off the bottom of the composition.

Click on Image 

     Cropped

Share This

The rules of graphics help us explain why an illustration works or why in most cases it fails.  This is not to say that the photo-artist needs to follow the rules all the time.  They are only tools to help us understand the composition of an image.  If the photo-artist is able to break the rules and have a successful image they will have something special.

This image of the common tissue dispenser is an interesting graphic design.  There is a strong diagonal line of the counter top and edge cutting across the top of the layout.  The face of the counter and chrome dispenser are also on this same one point perspective line.  The reflective face of the metal surface revels some interesting vertical patterns and textures.  I assume the photo-artist intended the sickly yellow hew over the image to give the feeling of distress.

I would like to suggest to the photographer that the perspective of the face of the counter ending abruptly into the wall so close to the primary subject leaves little to the imagination of the viewer.  The effect may be too much of a record shot of the subject with not enough visual interest.  Some cropping is possible, and color shifting can be done, but some subjects are difficult to carry though to the imagined results.

   Click on Image 

Share This

I think of this blog as if you were presenting your images in a gallery and the person in front of you, not knowing you are the artist, is giving their comments about the work being displayed.  They are neither right nor wrong, it’s only their opinion you are over hearing.  What is important is the level of satisfaction the photo-artist has with their work.

This is an interesting study in texture; strong weathered stucco surface, dramatic stains and an interesting graphic.  The surface taken at an oblique angle has a nice three dimensional effect; you can almost feel the rough and bubbled texture.  Blood red rust stains add drama and mystery to the composition making the viewer question where they emanate from.  The graphic of the conduit in placed so that it does not terminate in the corner but at a more acceptable distance from the top of the frame.

I would like to suggest to the photographer that the image may be a little muddy.  Other than the lamp there are no whites in any of the surfaces and the color of the stains could be brought up a little to give a more dominate effect.  But as always this is the photo-artists call.

Click on Image 

     Modified 

Share This

The simpler the composition the more important detail becomes.  Where there is less and less detail the more important detail is.  The Zen image is striving for perfection and if it misses it by a fraction of a percent it has not achieved its goal.

This photographer has distilled their composition down to simple lines and geometric shapes.  Our focus of attention is drawn to the lightest areas in most images and this one is no exception.  I like the use of straight lines; it reminds me of the modern architecture of the 1950’s and 60’s, very Frank Lloyd Wright.

I would like to point out that the edge of the shade is not vertical and thus has a tendency to through off the theme of the composition.  Also the photo-artist may want to consider changing the proportions of the illustration to a square format which would reduce the amount of window shade and add to the premise of geometric shapes.

    Click on Image 

     Cropped 

Share This

Good subjects don’t have to have the grandeur of El Capitan or the glamour of a professional models portrait.  They are often the little things all around us, the things the non photographer sees but never sees, subjects created by happenstance of light, color and pattern.  For those that are aware of the images all around us are those people that have the eye. 

This simple yet dramatic composition if something we have all seen and yet never thought of photographing, a humble subject that is there for the taking.  The strong cross light has added drama and form to the patterns of draped fabric and texture to the stucco wall in the background.  The placement of the cloths to the right is nicely balanced by the negative space to the left.  The photo-artist has taken the image to its bear essence.

There is a muter green cast to the image that the photographer may wish to eliminate.  The off color is so pronounce that it may be intentional but it could be interpreted as a poor print.  It is the photo-artists call if correction is required.

   Click on Image 

    Modified 

Share This

We speak of a photograph having a painterly quality, meaning it looks like a painting, as opposed to an illustration that has photo realistic qualities.  I have seen this accomplished in a number of way; the use of filters on the camera, computer filters and manipulation or sometimes just the nature of the light and subject will give this handmade quality.

This composition of a floral bouquet has that painterly quality.  It has the look of an old painting from the 19th century.  There is a log key mood, almost a darkness, to this work.  The colors are strong yet muted.

The photographer selected to only show the rim of the vase.  This lets us concentrate on the bouquet.  The lighting and texture of the background add to the painting feeling.

As a personal note, I feel that the addition of the photo-artists name and title are distracting form the composition and may want to be removed or done in a more shuttle color.

 Click on Image 

Share This

My love affair began over thirty years ago when I saw an article in the local paper about a new photography studio giving classes on basic photography.  The owner-instructor, Manny Katz, had a way of explaining the fundamentals of photography that made them a part of my life.  We all come to photograph in different ways but once you are truly hooked you would rather shoot than eat.  It can become a sickness like love.

Good photographers normally don’t start out with the eye.  They have to learn the fundamentals and basics of the tools and techniques.  I suggest to any new photographers that they do four things; takes a basic photography class, get a basic photography book, join a photography club and take lots and lots of pictures.  Don’t get discouraged if your work is not great at the beginning you will improve and develop, seeing the world in a whole new way.  What we call having the eye or seeing photographs.

This photo was submitted by a new photographer looking for suggestions on some of their first work.   First what I like about the image.  The dragon fly has a lot of potential.  The placement of the subject off center to the left is a technique that makes for a good composition.  By leaving room in front of the dragon fly it can move into the scene.  The exposure, focus (on the subject) and color are well done. 

As a new photographer you need to get away from using the auto setting on your camera and learn how to set the exposure and aperture for maximum effect.  In this scene the environment around the subject is confusing and uninteresting to the viewer.  There are a few of ways of approaching the problem of distracting backgrounds.  First you can change our angle of view such as get down on the ground and isolate the subject against the sky.  (Yes photographers will tell you that people look at you funny when they see you lying on the ground to take a shot.) You could set your aperture to a low f-stop and blur out the background.  Or you can move the subject to a different location where the background is more conducive to the final composition.  And if all else fails crop, crop, crop.

Hang in there, learn from others and enjoy photography.

Click on Image 

   Cropped 

Share This

I have seen subjects that I knew had a good image in them but try as I may I could not bring it out.  Then I would give up and go onto another potential photograph.  Months later I would see a shot by someone else of the same or a similer scene that was what I was trying to accomplish.  The difference was usually the light in the other person’s interpretation and the angle of view they selected.

This is a resubmitted of a scene we saw a few days ago by the same photographer.  I would like to commend him for hanging in there and trying some different interpretations.  I like the fact that you have done more to isolate the subject that interested to you.   By using the foliage as a backdrop you have simplified the background and allowed the pipe valve to standout with less distraction.

There are a couple of things I would like to suggest.  When I look at the photo the first thing I notice is that the image does not appear to be sharp (see sample Sharpened photo below).  If you were using auto focus and a tri pod you may want to get you camera checked out.  The selection of the time of day has given you harsh shadows that go beyond the limitations of the digital process.  Try shooting either in the first or the last hour of the day to get a softer cross light.  This time of day will also bring out more color in the pipe and rust, similer to increasing the saturation on the computer (see Modified image below).

On the right edge of the frame near the top as a small portion of the tree trunk entering the frame, you may want to remove this by either cropping or cloning.  And finally you could do a little more cropping to remove most of the material on the ground and the distant tan background (see Modified image below).

Click on Image 

    Sharpened     Marked Up      Modified 

Share This

Light accentuates texture.  This sounds like a simple statement but I have seen enough photographs of nicely textured subjects that were taken on overcast days to know that we don’t always remember this axiom.

The image of the undercarriage of this train has three things going on concerning texture.  The first is the strong overhead light that should bring out the texture in the lighted areas.  The second is the shadow areas that would not display the texture because of the lack of a direct light source.  But the photo-artist has added a third element, a textured computer filter to accentuate the appearance of a pitted surface throughout the composition.  Though the filter is obvious it is scuttle enough that it does not distract from the image and helps to get the point across that we are looking at a weathered piece of equipment.

There is one area that the photographer may want to take a look at.  At the bottom center of the image is a hose apparently on the ground that leaves the frame and then reenters.  Perhaps this could be removed.  At the same time the horizontal line of the track is acting as a one sided frame which could be removed by cropping.  Also note this line is about 1/4 degree out of horizontal.

Click on Image 

     Marked Up     Modified 

Share This

When working with still life compositions we should keep in mind that we are in control of the situation.  The objects in the scene are not going to fly away.  We are their masters and as artists can move them, rearrange them and change our angle of view, multiple versions of the composition can also be tried.

This found still life has a nice quiet feel to it, an old world mood with the handmade stool and the hand crafted broom.  I like the negative space of the white textured wall with the soft cross light giving it detail.  The leaves on the ground add a touch of spontaneity to the environment.  There is a puzzling thing going on here.  The brick wall to the right is vertical yet the line between the wall and the brick floor has a defiant slope.  I don’t think this is an optical illusion, I believe that is the way it was constructed. 

There is one observation I would like to make.  Graphically the stool, the broom and the green plant all stand alone, there is nothing bringing them together as a whole.  It’s difficult to express but it’s as if they are each their own subject within the same frame.  Perhaps if the broom were leaning more in the direction of the plant it would help to tie all three together.

Click on Image 

Share This

There’s an old adage in sales “When the customer gives you the order stop talking and leave.”  In other words when you have what you want don’t say any more you might screw up the deal.  The same thing is true of photography.  When you have what you want in the view finder you don’t show anymore, release the shutter or you might show too much.  Keep it simple.

This photograph is an example of simplicity.  The photographer has only shown us a portion of the six soccer balls and nothing more.  There is no background; we don’t even see an entire sphere.  But we know what we are looking at without being given any more information.  By only showing us this limited view he leaves it up to our imagination what else is going on around the scene.  We have to imagine how many more balls there are; two, ten, a hundred, who knows?

The shot is clean, with nice focus and lots of color.  The fact that the light is mid day sun does not take anything away from this image.  Note the reflections of red light on the left hand white ball which has a mat finish and the reflections on the right hand gray ball which has a gloss surface.

   Click on Image 

Share This

In commercial photography and shooting movies there are a number of tools used to alter light falling on a subject.  You start with the light source.  Then to alter the direction and quality of light you might use one of the following: 1. a “Scrim” (a filter material used in front of the light to reduce the intensity) 2. a “Reflector” (a white or reflective surface to bounce light back on the shadow side of an object) 3. a “Black Card” (a non reflective surface, generally black, to reduce light on a surface) 4. a “Gobo” (a card or filter with cutouts that is placed in front of the light to through shadow or light patterns across a subject).

This close up still life shot of the Cadillac hood ornament is almost a macro image.  The photographer has done a good job of getting the detail in the Cadillac logo.  The lighting across the hood of the car has interesting color striations.  The subject, the logo, is placed in the upper third of the image on the center line giving it the maximum amount of importance.

I have no idea if the photographer had any control over this shoot but I would like to recommend a couple lighting technics he might try in the future.  First the light source is a pin point light, or sometimes called a single source light.  This is a very strong light, like the sun during the day.  You might want to place a scrim of white nylon in front of the light.  This will reduce or eliminate the harsh shadow across the left side.  Like a thin layer of clouds over the sun.

The second thing I would suggest is to use a reflector in front of the subject to bounce some light back into the logo and give it more pop.  If you wanted some additional ‘black highlights’ in the chrome you could place a black card on the left side.  The last thing that would be possible, it you felt a need for it, is to place a gobo over the light to change the light and dark patterns on the hood.

   Click on Image 

          Modified Lighting 

Share This

Southern California has a reputation in the rest of America as the capital of the crazy nuts.  I don’t see why.  We may be the first to start the next hot trend, and the last to give up the twenty year old fad.  But we are not crazy.  It’s just the weather.  I was told once that more offbeat religions are started in So Cal because it is one of the few places in the country where you can ware a robe and sandals all year long.

This comical image tells about a person that is just a little different.  The old van painted with the kaleidoscope of colors, the license plate and the sign in the window all say welcome to Southern California.  This photographer is narrowed down the information in the scene to just enough to get the point across.  There is nothing I can think that could be added or taken away from this illustration.

      Click on Image 

Share This

On early automobiles the radiator cap was outside the hoot.  A die cast ornament was used to decorate this cap.  They continued to be popular on cars through the 1950’s but discontinued because of pedestrian safety in accidents.  As you can imagine these suckers could cut you in half.

This image presents this feature of a classic auto as detail of art deco.  The graphics are simple, clean and dynamic.  The selection of the blue gray background color works well with the gray of the ornament and the tan hue of the paint.  The upward lift of the face has the intended purpose of the original designer of giving the feeling of forward motion.  The line of the hood travels from the center of the frame on the left to the lower right hand corner.  Normally you would not expect to have a graphic line terminate at a corner but in this illustration it works very well.  I like the photo-artists selection of the narrow horizontal format.

        Click on Image 

Share This

When we find a subject that interests us we need to visualize what the final image will be before the shutter is clicked, preferably before we put the camera to our eye.  The photographer needs to decide what turns them on and then take everything else out.  It doesn’t work all the time, there may be too much background clutter or the lighting may be dreadful but when it all comes together we get what we saw in our minds eye.

This photographer has been able to isolate his subject down to a very simple theme. There is no computer manipulation or fancy camera exposures just a simple subject with a  simple story.  By photographing a three quarter view from the shadow side of the subject the photographer has captured the shadows that give the wheel texture and dimension.  There is good detail in the shadow area around the hub and the graduated hew of the grass from light to dark adds depth to the background.

This is a very clean simple image that has been well exaquited.

     Click on Original 

Share This

Framing is one of the oldest tools used by photographers to give depth to the two dimensional medium of photography.  The frame can take many forms; an overhanging branch, a view through an arch way, or as is this case the view through a window.  Some techniques are subtle and some are direct. 

This shop window image is designed to carry the story of the delicate world of a pastel tea party. It is a kind of dreamy and idealized world.  I like how you have included a portion of the bottom window frame to act as an anchor which tells us just how large the window is in one direction.  The exposure in the whites is excellent giving the maximum amount of detail.   The photographer has done a wonderful job of avoiding reflections in the glass.

There are a couple things that the photographer may wish to take a look at.  For some reason the corner of the table at the upper left hand frame appears to be too strong for this delicate image.  At the same time if the left edge of the window were removed we would get less of a feeling of tapering of the pains.  The final observation has to do with the overall color cast, which appears to be on the gray side, if you wish this can be modified using levels to bring the whites and blacks closer and curves to modify the contrast.

  Click on Image 

      Marked Up    Modified 

Share This

It’s not uncommon to find a subject that you love and know you want to photograph but can’t find that one image that express the feeling or story you want the view to enjoy.  Sometimes the human mind and imagination can make compensations that the machines of the camera cannot achieve.

The interior if this rusted out old truck is wonderful.  Look at the story that is told here.  From the looks of the instruments I would say this automotive product does not have a computer chip under the hood.  You will see the key along with the leather key holder are still in the ignition.  The handle just above that is the latest in technology; this handle is used to operate the wind shield wipers.  And on the steering column is one of the newest gadgets after market electric turning signals.  This is truly an old timer.

This is a fine subject with a lot of interesting detail.  Trying to find the right graphic in these cramped quarters may be difficult if not imposable.  Has the photographer considered manipulating the subject on the computer to add distorting or texture?  This may not be the photo-artist’s thing, it’s just a suggestion.

   Click on Image 

Share This

The subject of this image is not the head in the window or the painted bus but rather the owner who we do not see.  We feel we know or have known someone like this in the past.  This image tells a story by giving us selective information about the subject’s environment.  The trash in the window along with the hummer of the manikin head says this person lives a different life style and marches to a different drummer.

The owner of this bus must be over sixty by now and still living out Wood Stock. I would guess ‘Day Dreams’ sums up the owner’s life style.

I would like to make two suggestions to the photographer.  He might consider cropping out the small sliver of the window on the left edge of the frame.  It is so small that it is not necessary.  Also the colors could be punched up quite a bit to make this image pop off the page and add more of a circus feeling to the story.  Particuraly with a title like ‘Colorful Bus’.  But perhaps the photographer wants to stick with true colors and a little low key.

    Click on Image 

        Modified 

Share This

This is our first still life.  The photo artist has done an excellent job creating this painterly illustration from what appears to be an unpromising original (see below).   

What I appreciate about this rendition is the natural composition, the mirror leaning against the chair stand, the wash basin just with in reach on the table, etc.  The drapery or wall paper ties the door, chair and table together into one compositional unit.  The two primary colors, blue and gold, are well balanced and complementary.  I like the way the artist has cropped the table, wash basin and door into this graphic.  The final result looks old world but fresh at the same time.

Trivia Question:

Do you know where the term 2 bits comes from?

The term 2 bits means 25 cents or one forth of a dollar.  So is one bit twelve and a half cents?   The term bits refers to the old Spanish coin which was scored into eight parts or bits which then could be broken off and used for small purchases.  So it took 2 bits to make up one quarter of the coin.  

                                 Click on Image

                                             Original                    

Share This