PERSPECTIVE OR HOW TO MAKE OR BREAK YOUR SHOTS …. A QUICK LESSON

“just as photo-graphy can, the physical structure of the eye does explain the perspective (and to some extent, the angle of view) that we see”

http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/seeing_and_perspective.htm

SO, WHERE WE STAND, AND TAKE THE SHOT IS IN EFFECT NOT ONLY DETERMINING ITS SUCCESS, BUT ALSO ITS INTENT. THE PHOTOGRAPHER MUST RELAY THAT INTENT CREATIVELY UPON THE VIEWER

OH YEAH… WE CALL THAT ART

KEY INGREDIENTS IN PERSPECTIVE IMAGES• FOCAL LENGTH, DETERMINED BY

– APERTURE/FSTOP– LENSES– LENGTH OF MULLET (just making sure you’re

paying attention)

The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly it converges (focuses) or diverges (diffuses) light. A system with a shorter focal length has greater optical power than one with a long focal length.

MORE ON APERTURE & FOCAL LENGTH

• Since the F-number system is based on the ratio between the aperture diameter and the focal length of the lens, in theory, a given F-stop transmits the same amount of light on any focal length lens. For example, F/8 on a 100mm lens theoretically transmits the same amount of light as F/8 on a 1000 mm lens. Of course, F/8 on the 1000mm lens means an aperture diameter of 125mm, while F/8 on the 100mm lens means a diameter of 12.5.

• The larger the lens, the larger the aperture diameter required to attain the desired F-stop. Large diameter lenses, for this reason, don’t have f-stops as small as F/1.4 (smaller number=wider opening) they would need an aperture opening of 357mm or 14 inches!!

COMPARE THIS IMAGE

TO THE FOLLOWING

ONE

WHICH WAS SHOT CLOSER, AND WHICH USED A ZOOM LENS?:

The difference in scale should be fairly clear. Things like texture will often change depending on not only the light present at the time of the exposure and camera settings, but the type of lens and angle between the photographer and subject.

There are many things that can affect the depth of field.

CAPTURE SEVERAL IMAGES IN A SERIES:

OR PERHAPS TRY A UNIQUE VANTAGE POINT:

OR SEVERAL WITH JUST SUBTLE VARIATIONS:

ALWAYS MAKING SURE TO NOT ONLY FOCUS:

BUT COMPOSE YOUR SHOT ACCORDING TO THE RULE OF THIRDS & SUPPLY A SENSE OF URGENCY OR INTEREST:

TRY LOOKING FOR VARIED OR DIVERSE SUBJECT MATTER WITH UNIQUE

TEXTURES:

MAKE SURE THE PROCESS IS DOCUMENTED, USE A SHOOTING LOG SO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO REPEAT CRUCIAL STEPS… ALWAYS DOCUMENT

SETTINGS!

MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN …AND FIND SOME SCENERY YOU MAY NOT NORMALLY THINK TO PHOTOGRAPH

PHOTOGRAPHY & SNAPSHOTS ARE OFTEN NOT THE SAME

EFFECTIVE COMPOSITION IN PHOTOGRAPHY COMES FROM SKILL & KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED THROUGH CAREFUL PRACTICE AND ARTISTIC

CONSIDERATION

BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU ALREADY KNEW ALL THIS… RIGHT?

SO ENJOY THE PROCESS, BUT RE-MEMBER

THE KEY TO GETTING WHAT YOU REALLY WANT

COMES FROM A DIVERSE SUBJECT AMOUNT OF SUBJECT MATTER, USUALLY A TRIPOD,

SKILL WITH LIGHT AND CAMERA SETT-INGS, SKILL IN THE DARK ROOM

AND ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY AND EXCITEMENT FOR THE PROCESS TO SEE BEYOND WHAT’S PREDICTED

CITATIONS:• TEXT:• Stensvold, Mike. The Complete Idiot's

Guide to Photography Like a Pro . 3rd Edition. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2007.

• http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/seeing_and_perspective.htm

• IMAGES:• http://kittykati727-stock.deviantart.com/• http://mihraystock.deviantart.com/• http://safarisyd.deviantart.com/