windows to the soul

Whew! That last tip was more on the technical side. After covering it, however, we can move on to some other related tips.



Without a doubt, taking pictures of people is one of the main uses for our cameras. Now that we have a better idea of where in the picture to place our focal points, I want to stress that, in most instances, the eyes should be our focal points when photographing people. They are the first thing we look at when we look at a face.

The eyes, as they say, are the "windows to the soul".





Knowing then the importance of the eyes, we can keep the following pointers in mind as we take our pictures:

• we can treat the eyes as the focal points if we choose to apply the rule of thirds.
• we should make sure that we can, at least, see the eyes when we take ours pictures! (believe me, I take so many pictures where I can't see the eyes... I just don't show them to anybody ;)
• after downloading from my camera, if I see images with the eyes out of focus, I usually end up deleting them. This is because I enjoy seeing the eyes that much. I think they are that important. I think they are that beautiful.

Smile, beautiful eyes!

.

rule of thirds

Of all the tips, I think that following (or, rather, understanding) the Rule of Thirds may make the biggest difference in the quality of your photos.

The Rule of Thirds is a guideline used by painters to help create more 'energy' or interest in their compositions than simply centering the subject would. Essentially, you equally divide your viewfinder using two vertical lines and two horizontal lines to form a grid. You then compose your scene so that your features align with the grid, or so that your focal point falls generally on one of the four intersection points.



Hopefully, the following examples help to better understand the concept. Click on the photos to see the grid lines and observe how the features line up with them.

Of the items in this photo, attention tends to be drawn towards the knight because (1) it aligns generally at the third, (2) it happens to be the piece most in focus, and (3) it is the most brightly lit piece. (More discussion on lighting and its effects in the future).

-------

As with many rules, this rule is widely considered a guideline only. Strictly following any set of rules tends to make your photos predictable. However, I believe that understanding and applying the concept is the first step to learning how to visualize things a little differently.

jte

scale

I like to hike. Maila doesn't.

So whenever I take hiking trips I'm always confronted with this dilemma: How do I express, or share, with others the 'scale' of something -- whether it be the grandness of a valley or waterfall, the minuteness of a flower or insect, or the distance of a monument, to take a few examples?

Here is the tip -- introduce something in the photograph to compare the subject to. This provides the viewer with a sense of scale.

Although I haven't mastered the technique yet, I think the best way to illustrate this is to provide some examples.

At first glance, noticing the grass and shrubbery on the left side and the rocks on the right, the hill in this photo may seem to be close by.

However, including my friend James in the photo gives a better idea of the distance and size of the hill. We may start to realize that some of the "grass and shrubbery" in the first photo may may actually be trees.

Including my boot after I passed the waterfall crossing in this photo may help the viewer understand that I was looking down.

Admittedly, these aren't the best of photos, but I hope in some way that they help explain some of the things we can do to help express a sense of scale to our subjects. Until the next tip, enjoy!

jte

how to take a picture

It sounds basic enough. And who really has time to read the part in the camera manuals that tell you how to press the shutter button?

The truth is, there is a little bit more to taking a picture than just pressing the button. The most important thing to remember for today is that pressing the shutter button is a 2-step process. However, we will add steps 1 and 3 to the process below to expand on it a bit.

This applies to all types of cameras. I use the procedure whether I'm holding a camera phone, a simple point-and-shoot, or one of the more advanced SLRs.

1. Zoom in (or out) until your subject fills your screen.
2. Aim the camera at your subject, and press the shutter button HALF-WAY ONLY! (generally, this is your camera's only chance to focus in on the subject). When your camera indicates focus, don't let go of the button!
3. Compose your picture. Remember, your subject doesn't necessarily need to be in the center of the picture.
4. Complete the shot -- by pressing the shutter button all the way.

That's it. These are general principles, and steps 1 and 3 are general rules of composition that you can break if your artistic natures so dictate.

In the future we can cover elements of composition. But for now, enjoy!

jte