Digital Compositions
Approach this assignment with a spirit of play and a sense of wonder. You should bring your own personal likes and interests to this and all assignments this semester. This first one should be about discovering what your camera can do and what you like visually.
All photos that you use for this assignment MUST be originals that you took for this assignment.
You will be submitting a total of 18 ORIGINAL images (via your online portfolio) to complete this assignment. As I mentioned in class, it is recommended that you take multiples of each category and then choose and edit your favorite in each category to upload* as well as the original unedited photo.
You should digitally edit the images (using photos app), take them in color, or change them to black and white or sepia. Experiment with, not only these techniques but your camera settings as well. Try playing with contrast and saturation, hue and cast to find what you like best for each image, BUT… these images should retain the spirit of the subject.
In class we will edit and upload to the website. If you come to class without having taken the photos you will be considered unprepared for class and your HoW grade will reflect this.
COMPOSITION RULES
1. Leading Line – a line/s that lead you visually to an object or that leads into the distance creating depth
2. Repetition/Grouping – objects repeating in a picture creating a feeling of depth or emphasis
3. Framing – shooting through an object/item to focus on the main subject behind it. The subject is “framed” by something in the foreground
4. Informal Balance- composition is balanced by something “heavy” on one side and “light” on the other
5. Formal Balance – both sides of the picture are similar (symmetrical)
6. Rule of Thirds- photos are divided into thirds with two imaginary lines vertically and two lines horizontally making three columns, three rows, and nine sections in the images. Important compositional elements and leading lines are placed on or near the imaginary lines and where the lines intersect.
TECHNIQUES
7. Low Horizon Line- horizontal line is near the bottom quarter of the image
8. High Horizon Line- horizontal line is near the top quarter of the image
9. High Key Lighting – bright, intense, active
10. Low Key Lighting – dark, less intense, inactive
11. Silhouette Lighting – The lighting comes from behind the subject in your picture- the subject is totally black (backlit)
12. Angle Up- ant’s eye view
13. Angle Down- bird’s eye view
14. Close Distance- super zoomed-in view (maybe uncomfortably close)
15. Far Distance- think looking out an airplane window… (you are taking a photo of a scene that you are not in)
16. Soft Focus- image is intentionally “blurred”
17. Selective Focus – focal point is crisp and clear, the background is blurred