I want to remind you about my 2012 Photo Tours to some of my favorite locations in California and Utah. My photography tours emphasize in the field landscape and wildlife image capture in unique locations at prime times of the year. We will be going to:
California Photo Tours:
· Santa Monica Mountains, Jan. 22 or Feb. 11
· Joshua Tree, Feb. 24-26
· Death Valley, Mar. 4-10
· Channel Islands, Mar. 21-24
· Carrizo Plain, Mar. 29-31
· Big Sur & California’s Central Coast, Apr. 15-21
· Eastern Sierras, Oct. 10-14
· Death Valley, Dec. 9-15
Utah Photo Tours
· Bryce Canyon, May 3-6
· The Grand Staircase Escalante, May 6-9
· Zion's Subway, Oct 31 - Nov 2
· Zion’s Narrows, Nov. 3
See all the Photo Tour details at www.gregclurephotography.com/photo-tour-locations. Join me on one of my Photo Tours for an experience tailored to your individual needs. Help me spread the word about my Photo Tours by telling your friends and family.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Mono Lake Rainbow - Earth Shots Winner Photo of the Day Contest
© Greg Clure Photography
October 20, 2011 - Earth Shots (http://www.earthshots.org/) selects my Mono Lake Rainbow image as the "Photo of the Day" Contest Winner.
Earth Shots is a photo of the day contest celebrating the beauty and diversity of our planet. Each day they chose one fantastic photograph to feature on their homepage. Anyone can submit their photographs to Earth Shots for a chance to win the coveted photo of the day title.
Earth Shots’ photo of the day is enjoyed by thousands of people around the world on a daily basis. Winning photo of the day is therefore a great springboard for getting your name out in front of a global audience. Every winner can also include a short biography and a link to their website under their photograph, allowing them to further promote their work.
Follow this link to Earth Shots: http://www.earthshots.org/2011/10/mono-lake-rainbow-by-greg-clure
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Elements of Exposure - Bring it all Together - Part V
Now that we know how each exposure control works independently let’s look at how a photographer may go about combining them to achieve a look that expresses their intent. In most cases I recommend starting out at ISO 100, if in a low light situation than you may need to boost that up to what’s needed keeping in mind the introduction of noise at high ISOs for your particular camera. Every camera will be different; with some cameras you will be able to go much higher before noise becomes a problem. You should test your camera by shooting a darker scene that has a majority of a single tonality and take a series of images at increasing ISOs to determine what is acceptable for your set up. The dark mono-tone subject is the easiest way to see noise and help you identify when it becomes unacceptable. An average DLSR can generally go to 400 or 800 ISO and some to 1600 ISO without a significant reduction in quality caused by noise.
The next decision should be based on the desired affect you wish to capture as controlled by the shutter and aperture. If motion bur control is your primary concern whether it is to freeze your subject or blur your subject you should dial in the appropriate shutter speed to achieve that result than dial in the aperture that provides the correct exposure. You may have to change your ISO if you cannot achieve the affect you are after at your chosen shutter speed. If your primary concern is depth of field than you would want to dial in the aperture value that gives you the depth of field you are after and then the appropriate shutter speed that provides the correct exposure. Again, you may need to adjust your ISO to achieve the desired aperture setting.
By manually setting all three exposure adjustments you will be sure to get the desired effect in your images. However, it will take some time and practice to become efficient in this process, but having this control is worth the effort. How do you know where to start? I suggest you take a look at some of your best images you shot in full automatic mode. You can review the setting in the EXIF data that auto selected which should help establish a starting point. Next you might want to try one of the semi-auto modes where you select the ISO and one of the other settings and the camera will select the other setting to give you the correct exposure. After you mastered that you will be ready to go fully manual and your images should begin to improve as you get more comfortable.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Elements of Exposure - The Shutter - Part IV
This is part four of my elements of exposure series.
The shutter is the curtain in front of the recording medium. The shutter speed is the amount of time the curtain in front of the recording medium is left open to the light. The shutter speed is expressed in seconds or fractions of a second. The typical DSLR has many shutter speeds and will typically include those diagramed below.
1/2000•1/1000•1/500•1/250•1/125•1/60•1/30•1/15•1/8•¼•½•1•2•4•8•15•30
<------------- Fast ---------------------- Moderate -------------------- Slow -------------->
In addition to these standard settings there is typically a Bulb setting that allows for an infinite amount of time for an exposure as decided by the photographer. In the standard shutter speeds illustrated above as we move from left to right we are doubling the amount of light for each successive speed or we are increasing exposure by one stop. Conversely, as we move from right to left we are cutting in half the amount of light or reducing exposure by one stop for each successive move in that direction. Shutter speed controls our ability to freeze action or reduce motion blur associated with a moving subject or blur as a result of camera movement or camera shake. A photographer would employ a fast shutter speed if he/she wishes to freeze action and/or reduce motion blur associated with camera shake. On the other hand, if a photographer wants to accentuate motion blur he/she would employ a slow shutter speed. The ability of the photographer to take images without noticeable blurring by camera movement is an important parameter in the choice of slowest possible shutter speed for a handheld camera. The rough guide used by most 35 mm photographers is that the slowest shutter speed that can be used easily without much blur due to camera shake is the shutter speed numerically closest to the lens focal length. For example, for handheld use of a 35 mm camera with a 50 mm normal lens, the closest shutter speed is 1/60 second. For a wider angle lens of 28 mm the shutter speed would be 1/30 second and for a telephoto lens of 200 mm the shutter speed would be 1/200 second. This rule can be augmented with knowledge of the intended application for the photograph, an image intended for significant enlargement and close-up viewing would require faster shutter speeds to avoid obvious blur. Through practice and special techniques such as bracing the camera, arms, or body to minimize camera movement longer shutter speeds can be used without blur. If a shutter speed is too slow for hand holding, a camera support, usually a tripod must be used. Image stabilization can often permit the use of shutter speeds 3–4 stops slower (exposures 8–16 times longer). The shutter speed compromise is deciding how much we wish to reduce motion blur of a subject or blur associated with camera shake versus our intention to artistically blur the action or increase camera blur to accentuate the feeling of motion in a scene. But, slower shutter speed, those typically longer than a couple of second, can introduce noise as well. Generally this is not a big issue due to most modern digital cameras ability to employ a noise reduction algorithm to counteract long exposure noise. However, longer exposures will have more noise than moderate or fast exposures.
Next we will take a look at dynamic range and what we can do when the dynamic range of a scene exceeds the camera's ability to capture it.
The shutter is the curtain in front of the recording medium. The shutter speed is the amount of time the curtain in front of the recording medium is left open to the light. The shutter speed is expressed in seconds or fractions of a second. The typical DSLR has many shutter speeds and will typically include those diagramed below.
1/2000•1/1000•1/500•1/250•1/125•1/60•1/30•1/15•1/8•¼•½•1•2•4•8•15•30
<------------- Fast ---------------------- Moderate -------------------- Slow -------------->
In addition to these standard settings there is typically a Bulb setting that allows for an infinite amount of time for an exposure as decided by the photographer. In the standard shutter speeds illustrated above as we move from left to right we are doubling the amount of light for each successive speed or we are increasing exposure by one stop. Conversely, as we move from right to left we are cutting in half the amount of light or reducing exposure by one stop for each successive move in that direction. Shutter speed controls our ability to freeze action or reduce motion blur associated with a moving subject or blur as a result of camera movement or camera shake. A photographer would employ a fast shutter speed if he/she wishes to freeze action and/or reduce motion blur associated with camera shake. On the other hand, if a photographer wants to accentuate motion blur he/she would employ a slow shutter speed. The ability of the photographer to take images without noticeable blurring by camera movement is an important parameter in the choice of slowest possible shutter speed for a handheld camera. The rough guide used by most 35 mm photographers is that the slowest shutter speed that can be used easily without much blur due to camera shake is the shutter speed numerically closest to the lens focal length. For example, for handheld use of a 35 mm camera with a 50 mm normal lens, the closest shutter speed is 1/60 second. For a wider angle lens of 28 mm the shutter speed would be 1/30 second and for a telephoto lens of 200 mm the shutter speed would be 1/200 second. This rule can be augmented with knowledge of the intended application for the photograph, an image intended for significant enlargement and close-up viewing would require faster shutter speeds to avoid obvious blur. Through practice and special techniques such as bracing the camera, arms, or body to minimize camera movement longer shutter speeds can be used without blur. If a shutter speed is too slow for hand holding, a camera support, usually a tripod must be used. Image stabilization can often permit the use of shutter speeds 3–4 stops slower (exposures 8–16 times longer). The shutter speed compromise is deciding how much we wish to reduce motion blur of a subject or blur associated with camera shake versus our intention to artistically blur the action or increase camera blur to accentuate the feeling of motion in a scene. But, slower shutter speed, those typically longer than a couple of second, can introduce noise as well. Generally this is not a big issue due to most modern digital cameras ability to employ a noise reduction algorithm to counteract long exposure noise. However, longer exposures will have more noise than moderate or fast exposures.
Next we will take a look at dynamic range and what we can do when the dynamic range of a scene exceeds the camera's ability to capture it.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Elements of Exposure - Part III - Aperture
This is the third part of my Elements of Exposure series, be sure to read the first two parts before reading this entry.
Aperture
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As stated earlier, aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens. In this diagram of seven aperture settings the opening at f2 lets in twice the amount of light as the next size smaller at f2.8 or one stop more light is transmitted to the recording medium. Conversely, f2.8 reduces the amount of light reaching the recording medium by half when compared to the next stop down of f2. This opening affects the depth of field or the amount of the scene that is in sharp focus from near to far. Smaller apertures circles (larger f numbers) render the greatest depth of field while larger apertures circles (small f numbers) limit the depth of field. This fundamental holds true for any lens but varies widely by the focal length of the lens. The depth of field at any given f-number will always be greater with wider angle lenses and will always be shallower with longer telephoto lenses. Depth of field is also greatly affected by the distance the lens is from the subject. The closer the subject is to the lens the shallower the depth of field will be at any given aperture. So the primary reason to change our aperture is to change our depth of field. With lenses however, both the smallest and largest aperture of any given lens due to various aberrations and/or limitations of producing a lens causes a reduction in the quality of our images at the aperture extremes while the sharpest and best quality images are typically rendered from the middle aperture settings. In the above diagram that shows a lens with aperture settings from f2 - f16, the middle aperture of f5.6 is likely to produce the sharpest quality image. So the photographer’s compromise is one of effect verses sharpness that affects the overall quality of our images. If a greater depth of field is desired than most photographer’s will not hesitate to use a smaller than optimal aperture to gain more depth of field to render a more three dimensional image by contrasting the near to far relationship of the elements of a scene that are all in focus. Conversely, if you wish to isolate your subject in a scene than most photographer’s will not hesitate to stop down to a larger than optimal aperture to limit the depth of field to a small slice of focus that concentrates the eye on their subject by throwing the other parts of the scene out of focus. This out of focus area is often referred to as a lens’ “bokeh.” A Japanese word used to describe the aesthetic quality of the blur in out-of-focus areas of an image, or the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. Differences in lens aberrations and aperture shape cause some lens designs to blur the image in a way that is pleasing to the eye, while others produce blurring that is unpleasant or distracting. In either case the photographer has decided that the effect needed for a particular scene is greater than the need to have the sharpest quality image rendered by one of the middle aperture values.
In my next entry I will discuss the Shutter, the final compent of the exposure triangle. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
Aperture
In my next entry I will discuss the Shutter, the final compent of the exposure triangle. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Elements of Exposure - Part II - ISO
In Part I of my Elements of Exposure series posted on June 16, 2011, I introduced you to the exposure triangle. The first component of the exposure triangle is ISO. Here I discuss what ISO is for and the advantages and disadvantages of different ISO settings.
Exposure Controls
Photography is always about compromise when it comes to adjusting our exposure controls to get a proper exposure. Let’s look at each adjustment individually and what the advantages and disadvantages are of changing each of these controls.
ISO
Originally from the film world, ISO is an acronym for International Standards Organization; this organization set the standards of film sensitivity so that it was the same from one manufacture to another. So a roll of ISO 100 film from Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, etc. would have the exact same sensitivity. In the film days our ISO was set for the entire roll of film loaded in our camera and the only way to adjust it would be to replace it with a different roll of film with a different ISO rating. Digital has changed that by allowing the photographer to change the ISO at any time. The problem with increasing ISO settings is that higher ISOs introduce noise into our images that reduces the overall quality of the image. Lower ISOs while delivering less noise and higher quality images may prevent us from capturing an image in the way we want to because there may not be enough light captured to give us a proper exposure. What is noise? In film and in digital photography, noise appears as graininess due to the capture of a different exposure or color in grains or pixels as opposed to the surrounding grains or pixels making it standout. As we increase our ISO it increases the occurrences of noise. As photographers we must find a balance between quality and noise that conveys the scene as we desire. As a general rule, we should always aim to use the lowest possible ISO if we want the highest possible quality. As a standard, this is generally around ISO 100. While there are films and digital sensors with lower ISO settings the quality of the images is not significantly better to warrant going much lower than this standard. The main reason for going lower than the standard would be because you desire to use a slower shutter speed or wider aperture than the standard allows. And, the obvious reason for increasing your ISO above this standard would be that it does not let in enough light to get a proper exposure at the shutter and aperture setting you desire to use. If we relate ISO to stops than a 100 ISO setting is half as sensitive as a 200 ISO setting or we could say a 200 ISO setting is twice as sensitive as a 100 ISO setting. If we move from 100 to 200 ISO we have doubled the amount of light being recorded or increased exposure by one stop. Or, if we move from 100 to 400 ISO we have increase exposure by 2 stops, and so on. Conversely, if we move from 400 ISO to 100 ISO we have decreased the exposure by 2 stops. In photography, stops are the common language of describing the intensity of exposure adjustments.
In my next post I will discuss the second exposure control, aperture. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
Exposure Controls
Photography is always about compromise when it comes to adjusting our exposure controls to get a proper exposure. Let’s look at each adjustment individually and what the advantages and disadvantages are of changing each of these controls.
ISO
Originally from the film world, ISO is an acronym for International Standards Organization; this organization set the standards of film sensitivity so that it was the same from one manufacture to another. So a roll of ISO 100 film from Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, etc. would have the exact same sensitivity. In the film days our ISO was set for the entire roll of film loaded in our camera and the only way to adjust it would be to replace it with a different roll of film with a different ISO rating. Digital has changed that by allowing the photographer to change the ISO at any time. The problem with increasing ISO settings is that higher ISOs introduce noise into our images that reduces the overall quality of the image. Lower ISOs while delivering less noise and higher quality images may prevent us from capturing an image in the way we want to because there may not be enough light captured to give us a proper exposure. What is noise? In film and in digital photography, noise appears as graininess due to the capture of a different exposure or color in grains or pixels as opposed to the surrounding grains or pixels making it standout. As we increase our ISO it increases the occurrences of noise. As photographers we must find a balance between quality and noise that conveys the scene as we desire. As a general rule, we should always aim to use the lowest possible ISO if we want the highest possible quality. As a standard, this is generally around ISO 100. While there are films and digital sensors with lower ISO settings the quality of the images is not significantly better to warrant going much lower than this standard. The main reason for going lower than the standard would be because you desire to use a slower shutter speed or wider aperture than the standard allows. And, the obvious reason for increasing your ISO above this standard would be that it does not let in enough light to get a proper exposure at the shutter and aperture setting you desire to use. If we relate ISO to stops than a 100 ISO setting is half as sensitive as a 200 ISO setting or we could say a 200 ISO setting is twice as sensitive as a 100 ISO setting. If we move from 100 to 200 ISO we have doubled the amount of light being recorded or increased exposure by one stop. Or, if we move from 100 to 400 ISO we have increase exposure by 2 stops, and so on. Conversely, if we move from 400 ISO to 100 ISO we have decreased the exposure by 2 stops. In photography, stops are the common language of describing the intensity of exposure adjustments.
In my next post I will discuss the second exposure control, aperture. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
15% Off Nik Software Discount Code - GCLURE
Mt. Whitney, converted to Black & White with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2
© Greg Clure Photography
Elements of Exposure - Part I
In my last Elements of Photography entries, I discusses Elements of Composition in a two part series. In this upcoming multi-part series I will cover the basics of exposure entitled Elements of Exposure. In Part I, I will introduce this element and in the successive parts I will discuss the key elements that a photographer uses to control exposure before shifting topics to dynamic range and how we control this important element as part of the exposure process.
The Exposure Triangle
Getting your exposure right is the fundamental skill every photographer must master in order to progress. Exposure or proper exposure is the right amount of light being recorded to convey the photographer’s intent with the greatest amount of detail in the image. In photography, we measure that light in Exposure Values or commonly referred to as stops or f-stops. A stop is a doubling or halving in the amount of light. The standard camera has three ways of doubling or cutting in half the amount of light so that the proper amount of light hits the recording medium. ISO, aperture and shutter are the three controls a photographer has to affect exposure.
If you think about a triangle, we can place the exposure controls at each corner of that triangle. At the top is our ISO setting or the sensitivity of the film or sensor to the light. At the bottom two corners are the aperture, the size of the opening in the lens that the light must pass through and the shutter speed, how long the curtain in front of the recording medium is left open to the light. Our mission is to adjust each of these controls in concert to produce an image that is properly exposed with the artistic effects we desire. And it is the later part of this exposure equation that separates the professionals from the amateurs. While all modern cameras can set all three of these controls for you, it is only when you take your camera off fully-automatic mode can you dial in the appropriate setting to achieve the affect you in vision and retain proper exposure. What is proper exposure? In most cases the proper exposure combines these three setting to produce an image with details visible from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights with the least amount of pure blacks or pure whites that the camera will allow. The proper exposure is illustrated as the dead center in the above exposure triangle. However, at times our camera may not be capable of recording the entire range of light form the brightest whites to the darkest blacks. Better known as dynamic range, the ability to capture this range by our cameras is limited. The human eye is capable of seeing a much wider dynamic range than a camera is capable of capturing. The eye can easily distinguish a dozen or more stop differences in a scene where a good DSLR camera is only capable of recording half as many and most point and shoot camera are even more limited.
Let us first review the exposure controls and how they affect our images and how we can control them to introduce certain characteristics to our images and then we will look at some techniques that allow us to reduce the dynamic range in a scene or different techniques we can use to capture a greater dynamic range.
In the next part I will cover the first of these controls, ISO. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
The Exposure Triangle
Getting your exposure right is the fundamental skill every photographer must master in order to progress. Exposure or proper exposure is the right amount of light being recorded to convey the photographer’s intent with the greatest amount of detail in the image. In photography, we measure that light in Exposure Values or commonly referred to as stops or f-stops. A stop is a doubling or halving in the amount of light. The standard camera has three ways of doubling or cutting in half the amount of light so that the proper amount of light hits the recording medium. ISO, aperture and shutter are the three controls a photographer has to affect exposure.
If you think about a triangle, we can place the exposure controls at each corner of that triangle. At the top is our ISO setting or the sensitivity of the film or sensor to the light. At the bottom two corners are the aperture, the size of the opening in the lens that the light must pass through and the shutter speed, how long the curtain in front of the recording medium is left open to the light. Our mission is to adjust each of these controls in concert to produce an image that is properly exposed with the artistic effects we desire. And it is the later part of this exposure equation that separates the professionals from the amateurs. While all modern cameras can set all three of these controls for you, it is only when you take your camera off fully-automatic mode can you dial in the appropriate setting to achieve the affect you in vision and retain proper exposure. What is proper exposure? In most cases the proper exposure combines these three setting to produce an image with details visible from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights with the least amount of pure blacks or pure whites that the camera will allow. The proper exposure is illustrated as the dead center in the above exposure triangle. However, at times our camera may not be capable of recording the entire range of light form the brightest whites to the darkest blacks. Better known as dynamic range, the ability to capture this range by our cameras is limited. The human eye is capable of seeing a much wider dynamic range than a camera is capable of capturing. The eye can easily distinguish a dozen or more stop differences in a scene where a good DSLR camera is only capable of recording half as many and most point and shoot camera are even more limited.
Let us first review the exposure controls and how they affect our images and how we can control them to introduce certain characteristics to our images and then we will look at some techniques that allow us to reduce the dynamic range in a scene or different techniques we can use to capture a greater dynamic range.
In the next part I will cover the first of these controls, ISO. I want to hear from you, please leave your comments, questions or topic suggestion for future blogs in the comments section.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
From the Edge with Peter Lik Photo Contest Winner
© Greg Clure Photography
This image is also my featured image of the month and all Registered users can receive a 20% discount on this image during the month of June 2011. Not a register user? Simply click on the Register button in menu of my website, fill out the form, and you will start receiving monthly discount offers, news and updates from Greg Clure Photography.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Photo Tours Launched by Greg Clure Photography
Announcing the launch of my Fall 2011 Photo Tours. My Photography Tours emphasize in the field landscape and wildlife image capture in unique locations at prime times of the year. I have made numerous trips to these destinations over the past 25 years. My knowledge of these areas combined with my photography credentials and experience means everyone from novice to expert will get something out of every photo tour. Read more about a specific Photo Tour by clicking on that Tour below:
- Eastern Sierra Fall Spectacular Photo Tour - October 5-9, 2011
- Zion's Subway & Fall Foliage Photo Tour - November 2-4, 2011
- Zion's Virgin River Narrows Photo Tour - November 5, 2011
- Death Valley in December Photo Tour -December 4-10, 2011
- Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Sunset Photo Tour - November 12 or December 11, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Principles of Composition
The PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION are the rules of grammar of the visual language of photography. The PRINCIPLES organize the visual elements into a pleasing and comprehensible whole. This organization is called COMPOSITION. Our first response to a composition is to perceive it as a whole. This response is subjective. Strong images feature many of these PRINCIPLES and/or emphasize a few.
UNITY is the quality of cohesion that makes an image feel complete or whole. Photographers achieve unity by using consistent methods to reveal the meaning, purpose, and/or the intention of their images. Distinctive ways of creating unity are often identified as artistic styles.
BALANCE refers to the distribution of visual weight in an image. "Empty" areas should not appear to be blank. Instead, they should represent void, or negative space. Likewise, positive shapes and forms should not appear to be too crowded, heavy, or busy. Balanced images may suggest motion, but it should not appear to be so unstable as if to suggest it would hang crooked.
MOVEMENT or visual movement is used by photographers to direct the scanning behavior of the eye along a circuit or path within an image. This circuit leads the viewer to areas of visual interest, focus, and/or emphasis. Motion is suggested by the action line of the subject in an image. The action line moves in the apparent direction that the subject is moving or looking.
RHYTHM is the sequencing or repetition of visual movement presented by the composition of visual elements: colors, shapes, lines, tones, forms, and textures. Variation and contrast keep rhythm interesting and dynamic.
FOCUS is the emphasized form or area which draws attention and reveals the subject, central idea, or theme of an image. Emphasis is often achieved by using rhythm and movement to lead the eye to an element that is unique, or has a contrasting tones, shapes, sizes, or colors. Focus and contrast are the same principles as emphasis and variety. In photography, selective focus can be optically achieved with our lens.
CONTRAST is the organized interplay of visual differences which provides variety and stimulates visual movement. Contrast refreshes the eye and enables the viewer to better perceive and evaluate the relationships between the visual elements.
PATTERN is a system of elements which creates a recognizable sequence of repetition. Pattern may also be thought of as the underlying structure, concept, or plan, that organizes the image. Nature is full of natural patterns.
PROPORTION refers to relationships of size and form between the whole and it's parts. Although proportion can often be mathematically measured and described, it can also be compared to one's expectations of natural or ideal form. Proportion is usually related to size and scale. Proportion often influences the emphasis of an image, and our sense of space.
Composition reflects intention. By knowing and applying or choosing to break these PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION you can capture better images. While a lot of thing can be easily corrected in today's digital world in post production, composition generally cannot. Outside of cropping, you are stuck with what you captured when you snapped the shutter. Good compositions can be manipulated to become better and bad compositions will never improve to a point of becoming good.
UNITY is the quality of cohesion that makes an image feel complete or whole. Photographers achieve unity by using consistent methods to reveal the meaning, purpose, and/or the intention of their images. Distinctive ways of creating unity are often identified as artistic styles.
BALANCE refers to the distribution of visual weight in an image. "Empty" areas should not appear to be blank. Instead, they should represent void, or negative space. Likewise, positive shapes and forms should not appear to be too crowded, heavy, or busy. Balanced images may suggest motion, but it should not appear to be so unstable as if to suggest it would hang crooked.
MOVEMENT or visual movement is used by photographers to direct the scanning behavior of the eye along a circuit or path within an image. This circuit leads the viewer to areas of visual interest, focus, and/or emphasis. Motion is suggested by the action line of the subject in an image. The action line moves in the apparent direction that the subject is moving or looking.
RHYTHM is the sequencing or repetition of visual movement presented by the composition of visual elements: colors, shapes, lines, tones, forms, and textures. Variation and contrast keep rhythm interesting and dynamic.
FOCUS is the emphasized form or area which draws attention and reveals the subject, central idea, or theme of an image. Emphasis is often achieved by using rhythm and movement to lead the eye to an element that is unique, or has a contrasting tones, shapes, sizes, or colors. Focus and contrast are the same principles as emphasis and variety. In photography, selective focus can be optically achieved with our lens.
CONTRAST is the organized interplay of visual differences which provides variety and stimulates visual movement. Contrast refreshes the eye and enables the viewer to better perceive and evaluate the relationships between the visual elements.
PATTERN is a system of elements which creates a recognizable sequence of repetition. Pattern may also be thought of as the underlying structure, concept, or plan, that organizes the image. Nature is full of natural patterns.
PROPORTION refers to relationships of size and form between the whole and it's parts. Although proportion can often be mathematically measured and described, it can also be compared to one's expectations of natural or ideal form. Proportion is usually related to size and scale. Proportion often influences the emphasis of an image, and our sense of space.
Composition reflects intention. By knowing and applying or choosing to break these PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION you can capture better images. While a lot of thing can be easily corrected in today's digital world in post production, composition generally cannot. Outside of cropping, you are stuck with what you captured when you snapped the shutter. Good compositions can be manipulated to become better and bad compositions will never improve to a point of becoming good.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Two Finalist in the Latest Outdoor Photographer Photo Contest
You have until May 18th to vote for my two entries in the latest Outdoor Photographer Magazine's 2nd Annual Great Outdoors Photo Contest. This is the first time I have had two entries make it into the pool of Finalists for an Outdoor Photographer Photo Contest. It is tough enough to just get one, so I am honored to have two. You vote by assigning stars to each photograph, with 5-stars being the best. Please vote!
Please go to both pages below and cast your 5-star vote. Thank you for voting!
Please go to both pages below and cast your 5-star vote. Thank you for voting!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Elements of Composition - Part II
This is a continuation of my Elements of Composition discussion--Part I of this entry was posted on February 24, 2011. In Part I, I discussed the first six of twelve elements of composition and I continue that discussion with the second six elements.
- PRINT PRESENTATION - The image should be able to stand on its own. Ask your self, "Would I hang this image on my wall?" If not, you need to find another subject, better light, more elements of composition, etc. to move your answer to yes. Not to say you should not take a shot that you won't hang on your wall, as there are many reasons to do so. I often take what I call documentary shots or snap shots as a means of noting a location that I plan to return to in more favorable conditions.
- CENTER OF INTEREST - This is where the photographer wants the viewer to concentrate the eye. You will use many of the elements of composition discussed here to help the viewer move through your image and land on and stick to your center of interest. That interest may or may not be a specific subject within your composition but it may be the light, a pattern or color of the image. All can be strong centers of interest and every thing you do should direct the view to this center.
- SUBJECT MATTER - Is your subject clean and distinct? What you exclude from your image maybe just as important as what you include. Keep it simple and do not include conflicting subjects. The simpler the scene the easier it is for the viewer to see your subject. A shallow depth of field is often used to isolate the subject in a scene.
- COLOR BALANCE - does the image accurately reflect the colors you saw when you snapped the shutter? Good harmony between colors will enhance your image. An orange sun against a blue sky adds a warm/cool color contrast which appears to darken the blue sky and intensify the orange glow of the sun. This is no accident as these colors are exact opposites (complementary) on the color wheel as are green/red and yellow/violet combinations. If your image includes a person, their skin tone should be the focus of your color balance efforts. People know what good skin tone looks like and when its off its an immediate distraction.
- TECHNIQUE - or the approach used to create the image. Were the art principles adhered to when creating your composition. You must first know the rules of good composition if you plan to break them and succeed. In most cases breaking the rules results in a less desirable composition, but their are occasions where a better image can be created by breaking one or more of these rules. A good example of this may be a reflection where you place your horizon line across the center of the image to emphasis the symmetry of the scene.
- STORYTELLING - is your images' ability to evoke the viewer's imagination. Flowing water is often shot at slow shutter speeds to evoke a sense of motion. The viewer can easily imagine water running through a stream or down a water fall and evoke the imagination into hearing what the scene may have sounded like. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what words do you want your viewer to hear?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Elements of Photography Series - Composition
ELEMENTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
A new topic for me, I will begin with this entry, to discuss photography topics that will make you a better photographer, I call it my Elements of Photography Series and I kick the Series off with Elements of Composition. Please keep in mind that my focus in on landscape and wildlife photography, but many of the topics I discuss in this Series will be applicable to all types of photography.
ELEMENTS OF COMPOSITION - Part I
What is composition? For a photographer, composition can be defined as the careful placement and arrangement of all elements in an image that matter. I have complied a list of twelve elements that matter or that should matter when you snap the shutter. I will discuss the first six in this blog entry and the next six in my next blog entry. It would be rare for an image to have all of these elements, but the more elements you can include the stronger your composition will be and you will be well on your way to taking better photos.
A highlighted and underlined word or set of words in my text below indicates a hyperlink to a image or document that supports the concept under discussion. Simply click on these links to be taken to the web page and view the image or document as it will open in its own window. Close the window and continue reading when finished.
A new topic for me, I will begin with this entry, to discuss photography topics that will make you a better photographer, I call it my Elements of Photography Series and I kick the Series off with Elements of Composition. Please keep in mind that my focus in on landscape and wildlife photography, but many of the topics I discuss in this Series will be applicable to all types of photography.
ELEMENTS OF COMPOSITION - Part I
What is composition? For a photographer, composition can be defined as the careful placement and arrangement of all elements in an image that matter. I have complied a list of twelve elements that matter or that should matter when you snap the shutter. I will discuss the first six in this blog entry and the next six in my next blog entry. It would be rare for an image to have all of these elements, but the more elements you can include the stronger your composition will be and you will be well on your way to taking better photos.
A highlighted and underlined word or set of words in my text below indicates a hyperlink to a image or document that supports the concept under discussion. Simply click on these links to be taken to the web page and view the image or document as it will open in its own window. Close the window and continue reading when finished.
- IMPACT - or engaging subject matter--does the image "WOW" the viewer. I have on several occasions stood at the edge of Horseshoe Bend just south of Page, Arizona photographing this bend in the Colorado River and it never fails that each and every person that approaches this viewpoint lets out a "WOW" as they peer over the edge into the canyon and river below. This "WOW" factor is hard to find, but you know when you have found it by listen to those at the location or listening to those who view your image.
- CREATIVITY - does your image standout from other images on the same subject. Anyone can drive up to Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley, hop out of the car and snap a nice image. This is known as an iconic location made famous by others who came before you. While there is nothing wrong with taking an iconic shot, it should not be the only shot you take. In this location what is likely to make your capture different from the others is your timing and what is happening with the light and the weather. You should also look to shoot from different perspectives from higher or lower vantage points. Night shots with star trails or moon phases will be less photographed than daylight images at an iconic location. Try zooming in and isolating a portion of the view or take multiple images for a panorama.
- TECHNICAL - are all the camera settings technically correct when you press the shutter button. Knowing what all the buttons, switches and menu settings do on your camera and when best to implement them will go a long way to ensuring your composition stands out. Exposure and color balance must be accurate, dynamic range should not be compromised and your subject should be in sharp focus if that is your intent.
- SUBJECT PLACEMENT - where you place your subject will go a long way to strengthening your composition. Probably the best know rule here is the Rule of Thirds, which dictates your subject placement along the lines drawn if you where to divide your frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. And where these lines intersect are your strongest areas of subject placement. Also look for framing or leading lines that draw your viewer into the frame or patterns, rhythm, or symmetry should you not have an isolatible subject. Avoid placing your subject in the dead center as this is almost always the worst possible place for it in most cases. In the case of scenic landscapes I also like to see some depth introduced by having a distinct foreground, middle-ground and background around the subject as an attempt to create a more three dimensional capture by juxtaposing the near to far relationship.
- LIGHTING - type of light and direction of light. The best light brings out the texture and detail in our images. It is often found in the golden hour that 30 minutes before and after sunrise or sunset. What makes this light so good? When the light source is low on the horizon it can give your image depth and dimension and we come closest to conveying three-dimensionality in our two-dimensional image. Also since the light hitting our subject is now further away it becomes softer as it must now pass thought more atmospheric dust and is filtered down to mostly longer wave lengths at the red (or golden) end of the visible spectrum. This reduces the dynamic range of the light and allows a camera to capture the entire range of light in a single frame. Direction of the light is also a key component to how your subject stands out or not. Front, side or back lighting all have a place in how best to illuminate your subject. Physically move yourself into several positions to determine which angle works best for your particular subject.
- STYLE - a photographer's individual way of capturing an image. Most photographers do not know what their style is or how to create a style. Ask others who have seen a large body of your work to articulate what they think may be your style. The more people you ask the quicker you will get confirmation and be able to hone in on accentuating this quality that makes your compositions unique. You can now pay close attention to this attribute/s when composing future captures. What would you say is my style?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Top 15 Images Comprise Best of 2010 Gallery
The votes are in and the winners have been posted in my Best of 2010 Gallery. Thanks to all of you who voted, I was surprised to see so many participate in the voting. You voted for your favorite 10 images out of a select field of 50 finalists. As a result, I had a number of images tied with the same vote count forcing me to increase my top 10 to the top 15 images. Not a problem--they are all winners to me. Thanks again for voting! Click on this link to go to my Best of 2010 Gallery.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Share the Experience
I am honored to have all three of my entries chosen as finalists in the 2010 Share the Experience Official Federal Recreation Lands PHOTO CONTEST. Voting is now underway, you may vote once a day for one photo only, everyday, now through 1/31/2011. By voting you not only help me but you are entered in a sweepstakes drawing for an Olympus Stylus Tough-8010 Camera valued at $400. My three entries shown above from left to right are, Star Gathering, Rolling Sand Dunes, and Sunrise Point. Please vote daily by clicking on the above link. All photos in this blog are copyright © Greg Clure, all rights reserved.
UPDATE: My "Star Gathering" image won the third place prize in this contest, you can check out all the winners on the National Park Foundation 2010 winning enteries page.
UPDATE: My "Star Gathering" image won the third place prize in this contest, you can check out all the winners on the National Park Foundation 2010 winning enteries page.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Best of 2010
Last year was a productive year for Greg Clure Photography. I was fortunate enough to visit many highly photographic areas of California, Utah and Nevada. I added close to 200 new images to my website galleries but took many thousands more.
Now, I have a dilemma. I want to pick my top 10 images of 2010 for my Best of 2010 Gallery. I have narrowed it down to 50 and need your help, or rather your vote, on the top 10 images as you see it. Visit my Best of 2010 Gallery to browse my top 50, then vote by one of the following two ways before January 31, 2011:
1) Simply comment to this posting below with your top 10 picks. In the comment box you only need to indicate the number of the images you have selected, for example; 1, 5, 14, 26, 34, etc. , this number is found on the thumbnails when inside the Best of 2010 Gallery.
2) Visit my Best of 2010 Gallery and add your top 10 picks to the "My Favorites" page by clicking on the "Add To Favorites" button located just above each image. A count will then appear in the upper left-hand corner of the page, just above the logo, indicating the number of images you have placed in your "My Favorites" page. Click on this link to go to your favorites page to review your picks. Once you have finalized your top 10, click on the "Share" button in the upper-right hand corner of the page and e-mail me your picks.
Thank you for voting and come back after January 31st to see the winning top 10 images of 2010.
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