Digital Photography

A FOCUS on some of the Elements & Principles of Design as subjects for our compositions.

Line

Shape

Texture

Color

Unity

Emphasis

Contrast

Pattern

Student Submission Gallery

Getting Started

Composition

Picking a subject and arranging the shot in an appealing way

Try taking photos with the following tips:

Take a walk in nature - I would rather not see photos inside your home
Find something interesting, how can you highlight that in the photograph?
Take a photo where the subject is NOT a human and even greater challenge, try an "inanimate" object (something that cant move)
Try the same photo in color and then put a grey-scale filter on it - Which one is better for the composition?
Try the same photo multiple times with different perspectives
Try getting close to your subject
Try to place your subject slightly off center - this will help create a balance called the "Rule of Thirds"
Check out the background of your shot to make sure there isn't something that will interfere with the shot - if there is, move your angle.
Check your lighting, don't become the awkward shadow in your own picture, try to avoid "back-lighting" where the main light source is coming from directly behind the subject (but experiment, sometimes the subject being dark and that background being so bright will work)

Here are some samples I took while out on a walk

I made a note below each photo some of the Elements and Principles at work in the picture

Contrast - Line - Emphasis

Contrast - Line - Color

Shape - Color - Pattern

Texture - Pattern - Unity

Shape - Color - Contrast - Emphasis

Shape - Pattern - Emphasis

Line - Unity

Here is the same subject I shot in 4 different ways

I use my new phone as my camera and I assume that's the tool most amateur photographers use these days. I own many digital cameras but I love the results of my phone best. We tend to hold our phones vertically but sometimes the subject may work best as a horizontal composition. Try both angles with your shots and see which works most logically for the composition.

Here I placed a high contrast black and white filter on the same image. This allows the various colors of the grass and trees to disappear and now we can focus on the lines of the old fence.

Now I got closer to my subject and changed my angle. With the vertical nature of post next to me and no interesting subject to the right I chose a vertical composition.

Here I moved to the far post and tried focusing on the length of the posts traveling away from me.

Now I chose a shorter focal length where I made the end of the pole my subject and the length of the pole blurs out into the background.

What if each of these were filtered in black and white as well?

I feel like this one is too "one note" I am missing contrast - everything just blends together too much.

This one has some nice contrast but I now miss the actual color of the old wood and the glint of green moss hanging from the top rail.

This one is working a lot better for me. I see greater contrast in light and dark, we really see the texture of the end of the log rail and that fibrous moss streak has great texture.

The Assignment - Challenge #1

So, I challenge you to go for a walk and take some photos with those tips in mind. Take many photos, this is the luxury of digital photography! Now when you are finished taking photos, I would like for you to pick at least 3 of your favorites to upload. If you have a computer to upload your photos to, you can play around with the photos easier. Look through them, try a black and white filter, maybe adjust the contrast if needed. You can do this straight from your phone if you do not have access to a computer.

You can upload ALL 3 photos in one Check in Submission (follow the button below). I would like for you to identify which of the Elements and Principles you saw at work in your compositions. You can type them in the title of the photos before uploading (if you are working off of a computer) or when you are uploading you can TYPE your elements into the "Describe which activity of Mrs. Eggleston's you chose to do." Type digital photography, then describe each photo you submit.

Challenge #2

3 NEW photos. Pick NEW elements or principals to choose from. If you tried all color photos last week -try only black and white this week. The weather has been too beautiful to be stuck inside. I HAD to extend this lesson option! In an actual digital photo class we would take a minimum of 5 photos a day, so take a walk, enjoy your yard, look at things in a new way. Appreciate shapes and lines on everyday objects. What do the valves on a fire hydrant look like (for you town kids) or what new pieces of nature have revealed themselves from under the melted snow?

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