One Object

I used a Canon 60D for this photo. I took the shots in my room around nighttime on April 19, 2025.  The camera is set with a shutter speed is 1/160 seconds with f/1.8, ISO 2000, a focal length of 85 mm, and a white balance set automatically. 

I use a 1/160 shutter speed to lessen motion blur and stable subject while supporting an aperture of f/1.8 to create a shallow depth of field as I used colored lights to set a mood for the subject. With no background details, the aperture is perfect to soften the lights at least. 

The design elements are color, texture, form, and value. A combination of cyan lighting on the right and orange on the left creates a complementary scheme that sets the tone of the shot. The texture elevates the color as well as creates a reflection on the subject and a blurry clean but interesting background. The item also being three-dimensional makes the subject pop from a flat background. With the help of lighting as well, the value of light and dark is prominent creating a good balance of shadows and highlights making the subject alive.
The principles, on the other hand, portray contrast, balance, emphasis, and unity.
The contrast of the colors on the lights makes the subject stand out and the photo feels balanced even if the figure is not centered as the gradient blur background seals the weight of the photo. With the help of the aperture, the shallow depth field helps the bright and colorful subject as the background contrasts it. The shutter speed then maintains focus on a subject as the faster shutter speed is less motion blur and more stability. The elements also show cohesiveness.
The composition shows the usage of the rule of thirds as the subject leans on the division of left making things dynamic instead of static center lead. The beautiful boken enhances the subject and the background is clean and no distractions.

I used a Canon 60D for this photo. I took the shots in my room around nighttime on April 19, 2025.  The camera is set with a shutter speed is 1/60 seconds with f/2, ISO 2500, a focal length of 85 mm, and a white balance set automatically. 

The design elements in the image include color, texture, form, and value. A mix of cyan lighting on the right side and orange on the left creates a complementary color palette that sets the overall atmosphere. Texture enhances the vibrancy of the colors and adds reflections on the subject while contributing to a soft, clean, and visually interesting blurred background. The three-dimensional form of the figure makes it stand out against the flat backdrop. Lighting also plays a major role in emphasizing the contrast between light and shadow, adding depth and liveliness to the subject.

As for the design principles, the photo highlights contrast, balance, emphasis, and unity. The opposing colors help the subject grab attention, while the slight off-center placement creates a balanced yet dynamic feel. The blurred gradient background further anchors the image's visual weight. A wide aperture allows for a shallow depth of field, keeping the subject crisp while separating it from the background. Meanwhile, the use of a slower shutter speed introduces motion blur, giving the image a sense of flow and subtle movement. All the elements work together cohesively to create a unified look.

In terms of composition, the rule of thirds is applied, with the subject leaning towards the left side to achieve a more dynamic composition rather than a centered and static look. The beautiful bokeh effect enhances the focus on the subject while maintaining a clean, distraction-free background.

   I captured this photo using a Canon 60D. They were taken in my room during the night of April 19, 2025. The camera was set to a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, with an aperture of f/2, an ISO of 2500, and a focal length of 85mm. The white balance was left on auto.
The design elements are line, color, texture, and form. The character's scarf and wand, it leads the eye and creates visual energy to really focus on the subject. The color pop with tones of red and warm yellow offer reinforcement of the focal point. You can also pinpoint the smooth texture of the character from the plastic material and tactile quality is seen with the reflection. Connected with reflection, the highlights and shadows seals the deal.
The principle of design shows strong emphasis on the figure as it is well-lit, with the help of ISO and shutter speed, while the background stays in a blurry or bokeh style with the help of aperture, lifting the foreground. With the asymmetrical balance, the off-center still feels complete as the composition uses negative space effectively. The alignment of one of the vertical thirds in the rule of thirds makes it visually appealing even being off-centered.  The framing of the bokeh area also implies a darker shade from a lighter more focused part. The distractions behind, because of the low aperture, helped soften it and make it a framing device.

This photo was taken with a Canon 60D in my room at night on April 19, 2025. I used a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, an aperture of f/14, ISO 1600, and a focal length of 85mm. The flash was enabled for the shot, and the white balance was set to automatic. 

Compared to the previous photo, this one uses a high aperture which shows a clearer background. The highest aperture was not possible without having a darker shot hence the perfect setting is the one used. The flash of light separates the foreground but the background is still detailed enough to be understood.

Both pictures are similar in design elements. The principles of design show emphasis on the subject differently. Since the aperture is high, it can lessen the brightness of the shot hence a flash would be effective in separating the foreground from the background. There is still blur but it is only to separate the foreground and background. The composition is off-centered but a negative balance creates harmony with it. This shot felt more like a snapshot or documentary rather than intentional. The difference between the low aperture to the high aperture is that the shot captures full scene details, with hard and flash lighting, sharp but busy with medium emphasis on the subject.

I shot this photo using a Canon 60D  in a landscape, in my room during the evening of April 19, 2025. The camera settings included a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, an aperture of f/2.5, ISO 1600, and an 85mm focal length. I used flash for added lighting, while the white balance was left on auto.

In a low landscape, the angle creates greater intensity. Color pops up the subject and the aperture used helped it stand out as well. The line cutting of the busy background below also shows the subject being in a different point-of-view than the foreground. The shutter speed was enough to sharpen the subject while ISO also balanced out the need for lighting. The blurry background results in framing the device while still making things balanced enough to not make it empty or busy. The rule of thirds was used to center the subject and to level the background. 

Although good shot, the landscape angle will be better if it is a group shot or a composition one as making it a male subject is hit or miss as framing devices can either clutter the shot or make the story different. That is why to at least cope with this, I used the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed settings to at least separate the foreground.

I shot this photo using a Canon 60D  in a Dutch angle, in my room during the evening of April 19, 2025. The camera settings included a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, an aperture of f/2.5, ISO 1600, and an 85mm focal length. I used flash for added lighting, while the white balance was left on auto. 

This intensifies what landscape angle brought. The subject's color still makes them pop together with the bokeh effect done by aperture settings. The background now feels part of the story, like a villain type. The angle brings more angst, action, and focus on the eye of a subject. The leading line also guides our eyes to see the Dutch angle. The flash brings out more shadow and highlights compared to the landscape shot and the three-dimensional object feels more alive in this angle. The rule of thirds is used to hit right vertical lines and lower left points making things dynamic and feel empty compared to the landscape version. The setting of the camera helps to shape the brightest object as a focal point and the foreground as supporting information.

I shot this photo using a Canon 60D  in a portrait angle, in my room during the evening of April 19, 2025. The camera settings included a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, an aperture of f/4.5, ISO 1600, and an 85mm focal length. I used flash for added lighting, while the white balance was left on auto. 

The photo casts a pop of color and the bokeh effect but a shadow also appears in the background making the separating visible but also cluttered. The line leading to the subject is more subtle and although the focus is on the character, the background is distracting. Maybe the change in aperture affected such and also portrait angles are more effective if dynamics are positioned in multiple places not just foreground and background. I changed the aperture here to experiment with how it changes the setting of the picture, and it has a great impact if the focal point is being drowned by the background. Followed the rule of thirds, although sideways it feels balanced, and space at the top makes the item seem smaller. To improve this, I have cropped the picture just to remove unnecessary clutter.

The image still use effective separation of background as it is still lifted and felt far away from the background. The reflection makes the item have more texture but the lack of highlights and shadows makes it feel stagnant compared to other shots above in the same location.  Overall, portrait shots are effective in portraying character references and setting up an introductory shot but composition is a little tricky as it can make objects seem too small or too big.

On the evening of April 19, 2025, I photographed this scene using a Canon 60D in landscape orientation inside my room. The camera settings were a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds, an aperture of f/2.5, an ISO of 6400, and a focal length of 85mm. I utilized flash to enhance the lighting, with the white balance set to automatic.
The aperture helps to pop out the focal point out of the background and the shutter speed is set to make sure that motion blur is lesser and more stable. The effect of high iso involves a grainy picture. That is why ISO is important to be balanced with natural light or another source of light. Overdoing it can result in a grainy, overexposed, and undersaturated picture.

The design elements involve a pop of color. The leading line was done using the Dutch angle method and the rule of thirds to hit both side horizon points. There is still shadow and highlights but the contrast is not visible because of the overexposure and grainy effect of high ISO. The texture also shows having the smooth figurine contrasts with the wooden texture. The form shows three-dimensional and round edges showing playful illustration. Even though it is from a Dutch angle, it still has visual balance and no clutter. This also improves the emphasis of the focal point and the saturated characters grab your attention first before the background.

On the afternoon of April 20, 2025, I photographed this scene using a Samsung Galaxy A55 5G phone inside my room. The camera settings were a shutter speed of 1/10 seconds, an aperture of f/1.8, an ISO of 160, and a focal length of 23mm. I utilized flash to enhance the lighting, with the white balance set to 6000 which was automatic. 

The effect of low ISO makes the shot darker than its actual setting. Although this can be used in more dramatic effect it can be tricky to use within indoor settings without proper light support. The shutter speed and aperture are low to make the setting brighter without affecting its quality as the ISO needs to be at its low.

The vibrant red and yellow scarf silhouettes the black outline of the focal point and the background colors are even more muted. Variety of textures from smooth figurine to tactile wooden texture and intriguing background. The placement of the figure has visual balance and while it is the focal point the other figurine in the background places perfectly balanced and to not make distractions. Since the ISO effect darkens the picture, the focal point a contrast to the background because of it pop of color and texture.

Inside my room at dusk on April 19, 2025, I framed this shot in landscape using a Canon 60D. I exposed it at 1/60 sec, opened it to f/2.5, set ISO to 640, and zoomed in with an 85 mm lens. I popped the flash for extra light and left the white balance on 2500K.

The ISO, shutter speed, and aperture are set similarly to the previous shot to elevate the subject as the setting is seemingly indoors. The aperture low making it brighter and the shallow depth of field and the shutter speed are also set just enough to stabilize the shot and to keep the color saturated.  The ISO is enough to support lighting and with the help of flash elevate the scene.

The color, besides the eye-catching red and yellow, has a warmer color. It has an orange and green tone because of the warmer white balance set at 2500K. Even if this was shot indoors, it feels like it was shot in the morning and you can feel the warmness of it. The texture changes from the blurry but detailed background while a sharp foreground introduces more smoother surface. Placing the figurine prominently in the foreground draws the viewer's attention, while the vibrant and varied background elements enrich the context and enhance the storytelling. This setup adds depth to the scene, making the composition visually appealing and engaging. Asymmetrical balance but the off-centeredness brought the details in the background in with the picture balancing it.

Inside my room at dusk on April 19, 2025, I framed this shot in landscape using a Canon 60D. I exposed it at 1/60 sec, opened it to f/2.5, set ISO to 640, and zoomed in with an 85 mm lens. I popped the flash for extra light and left the white balance on 4000K.
The ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings are aligned with the previous indoor shot to bring focus to the subject. A wide aperture allows more light, producing a brighter image with a shallow depth of field that separates the subject from the background. The shutter speed ensures stability, preserving the richness of colors. Additionally, the ISO is set to complement the lighting, while the flash enhances the overall brightness and detail of the scene.
It was similarly shot from the warmer white balance but with the settings at 4000K, it sets the tone into a cooler setting. The shot has the same texture to offer the smooth surface of the figurine contrast to the roughness and intricate details of the blurry background. The usage of the rule of thirds where characters lean towards the left horizon and asymmetrical balance works because of the blurry background setting. The cooler setting gave contrast to the background and foreground why having harmony making it as a whole. From the orange and green tones, it feels more cynical and dynamic as the blue tone sets the vibe.