Browsing all posts in composition.

Be Flexible

Before we get to the article, I wanted to remind you all that today is the last day to enter our photo contest! Please submit a single photograph that best depicts the drama that can be achieved with a single flash. Post your photo on our Facebook Page, Google+ Community, or Flickr Group Discussion (please [...]

A Study in Leading Lines

The purposeful use of leading lines encourages the viewer’s eyes to travel along a specific path. Test it upon yourself… look at this photo of flowers: The image is pretty and colorful, but does not compel your eyes to fall on any one place or follow any particular aspect. Now look at this photo: The [...]

Trust Your Camera

Sometimes it’s okay to trust your camera. We spend a lot of time talking about using aperture priority, or shutter priority, or full manual mode. We teach you how to “take control” of your camera and dictate the outcome of your photographs for yourself. We show you how to compensate for your camera’s perceived weaknesses [...]

Six Tips to Instantly Improve Your Landscape Photography

1. For heaven’s sake, don’t center everything! The rule of thirds is your friend, and even stretching the rule of thirds to a more extreme degree can make a shot very intersting. (I call it the rule of sixths, and no that has no scientific merit whatsoever, I just thought I was being clever). Which [...]

Your Weekend Photography Project – Ordinary Objects

There is something very challenging about finding the extraordinary within the ordinary. You have to slow down, look a little closer, and examine every object with the knowledge that there is something about it that is worthy of fascination. Photographers take pictures of ordinary, every day objects in order to train their eyes to see [...]

Composition – Background

By Steve Russell. Because of one of my personal rules this article won’t have many photos for illustrations. I can find plenty to illustrate various points, but in using them I run the risk of criticizing someone else’s photos without their permission. While I have one I’m going to use, you’ll have to use your [...]

Composition – Simplicity

By Steve Russell. Although simplicity in photographic composition tends to be discussed as a broad category that includes the complete image, I’m going to divide the subject into two categories – simplicity in subject and simplicity in background. Today I’m going to focus on simplicity in subject. When someone looks at one of your photographs [...]

Composition – Leading Lines

By Steve Russell Have you ever observed a scene you thought was beautiful so you photographed it only to have the photo turn out to be very mundane? I know I have and I suspect that if honesty were to prevail we would all say we’ve had a similar experience. Remember that the camera doesn’t [...]

Composition – Rule of Thirds

By Steve Russell It’s important to be very knowledgeable about the technical aspects of your camera. Otherwise you won’t know the best way to maximize your camera’s capabilities to capture the best images you can. This is true regardless of the make or model of your camera. Unfortunately, being an expert in all of the [...]

The Importance of Perspective

How large do you suppose these rocks are? Could you pick them up in your hand? Step over them? Are they the size of your bed? Your car? Your house? Well, now take a look at this photo: That’s me up there! Here’s another angle. Here’s another one. Pretty mountain stream? Or enormous Upper Falls [...]