1) Depth of Field Portrait
2) Near/Far Focus
3) Value/Contrast through B&W
Saturday 27 February 2016
Wednesday 24 February 2016
Principles of Exposure: Capturing Action and Controlling Motion Blur
Object Frozen in Time
Ping Pong
Despite me specifically getting up early to take advantage of natural light, the high shutter speed required for an object frozen in time (1/2000 second) meant that I had to not only use the lowest aperture of 4.5 F, but also a high ISO of 6400.
This picture conveys the sense of anticipation and focus right before making a shot, with the ping pong ball's suspension in time and space emphasized by its shadow against the ping pong paddle.
Paper Airplane
Similarly I selected a high shutter speed for this photo to capture the resulting crystal sharp airplane frozen in mid air. I combined this with a very low aperture (evidenced by the blurry background) and reasonably high ISO to make up for the light lost in the fast shutter speed. The upward view of the frozen-in-time paper airplane, with the blurred sky and trees backdrop, gives a sense of the weightlessness and serenity of being in flight. The outstretched hand imitates the paper airplane, showing a sense of unity (suspended hope in the moment not long after the plane's release from the hand), linking the viewer's emotions with the flight of the plane.
Flying Bird Behind Tree
The photos I took of the birds on campus at lunch were among the most difficult to shoot due to the uncontrollable nature of the subjects and their sudden unpredictable movements. Being on continuous shooting mode was a must. A high shutter speed of approximately 1/2500 was necessary to eliminate all motion blur. The bright day, with this shot being pointed directly at the sky was useful: I didn't have to set the aperture too low - both the tree branches and bird are in focus. The clarity of both something static (and intricate) and something moving coveys the unity of nature in this brief moment in time. The clarity of the tree branches also shows the point of view of the bird as it flies towards them. The bird seems powerful and mysterious, untouchable above the tree of the land.
Object In Motion
Ping Pong
Shutter speed: 1/30 second
Aperture: 8F
ISO: 200
Compared with the other ping pong photo (see above) a low shutter speed is used to capture the motion blur of both the ping pong ball and paddle (and the arm/hand which wields it). This lets in a lot more light and so a higher aperture setting can be used to limit the overexposure and also provides more clarity in the background of the photo (this clarity of the background emphasizes its lack of blur/motion in comparison to the moving components of the image). The shutter speed is so much slower than that of the other photo, that a significantly lower ISO can also be used to correct the resulting overexposure.
In comparison to the focus, concentration and stillness right before the ball is hit (in the previous ping pong photo) this photo shows the speed and vigor of hitting the ball, just moments after hitting it while the paddle is still moving and the ball has just hit the other side. Both the person who has hit the ball, the paddle and the ball are all connected by the motion blur (despite the ball being on the other side of the table), showing it was the actions of the ping pong player on the right that have caused the ball to hit the other side (the ball's trajectory has created a white trail behind it showing its path before it hit the table and right after).
Boardwalk Swings
This shot was taken pointed towards the sky on a very bright day, and this, in combination with the slow shutter speed, meant combatting overexposure was tricky. ISO was obviously set to its lowest setting and you'll notice the shutter speed isn't that slow because the blur isn't that intense. However the blur is still there and I like the fact that it's not that intense. It subtlety makes this photo look more refined and elegant and still contrasts with the clarity of intricate design on the central pillar of the amusement ride and the rest of the photo. The few people on the swings add to the joy and exhilaration that the blurred swings and vibrant colors create, like the upward view of the girl with outstretched hands in the right of the image: she feels on top of the world!
Boardwalk Fireball
Similarly to the previous image, I used a relatively slow shutter speed to achieve the blur on the spinning pendulum swing ride. With a low ISO and a very small aperture to limit the excess light (the far away tree is in sharp focus). Unlike other shots of this ride, I like that this one shows the ride near the top of its oscillation, as there is a less chaotic background, bringing attention to the blur. The blur captures the rotation of the ride specifically, more so than its rise-and-fall motion. I like the contrast in this image between the vibrant blue sky and the red (and other stark colors).
Tracking Motion
Car
I used a the lowest ISO on my camera (100) to combat the overexposure caused by the slow shutter speed. I used a relatively small aperture. This photo captures a car in motion, with the car itself lacking motion blur but its background having motion blur. I did this by panning the camera in unison with the movement of the car so that camera lens' and car's relative position remained the same even though the car was moving. The trees in the background remained static and so have motion blur. The motion conveyed in the photo is added to by the downward slant of the street in the direction the car is driving and the blur of the cars behind it, traveling in the opposite direction.
Bicycle
For this photo, it was a fairly bright day, outdoors, and I used a shutter speed of 1/30 second. I compensated for this high intake of light by using a low ISO and using a small aperture (the lack of narrow depth of field doesn't matter because the subject is emphasized by the background's motion blur instead). The color of the red bike and blue flannel shirt pop against the green background, and a sense of the subject being calm and in control is created while she whirs passed her surroundings with speed and skill.
Zoom Blur
Lamppost
Monday 15 February 2016
Principles and Elements of Art and Design
Elements of Art and Design
(from left to right)
- Value: this image demonstrates good value because there is black, white and many shades of grey in between.
- Texture: The cherry is glistening in this photo, highlighting its shiny surface and thus conveying its moist texture.
- Shape: This striking shape of a lamp is emphasized by the shadows running from the center like lines of darker gold.
- Line: Almost everything in this picture makes use of definitive lines. The downward lines created by the legs bring the viewer's focus to the weighing scale, with the center of the scale being further emphasized by the line of the blue carpet.
- Space: This picture creates a sense of space through the use of lines of the path which extend as far as the eye, including the dog's eye, can see.
- Color: The color in this picture is particularly striking because it is outside the window. The subdued browns of the cat and seat inside the window are brought to life by the vivid greens and red-brick wall outside the window creating a sense of warmth and space.
- Form: The form of the trees, particularly the one in the foreground, is captured by the lighting, creating a stark silhouette of the natural branches, in stark contrast to the man-made street.
Principles of Art and Design
- Proportion: My very tiny Jack Russell looks large and powerful, with her head above the background line of trees, and her dark figure and shadow complimenting the dark shade of green trees and foreboding, cloudy sky.
- Harmony: There is a harmony of colors created in this photo, taken at dusk, The noise adds to the dusty quality shown in the grey concrete, the dusty blue sky, and purple-looking cherry blossom.
- Movement: The motion blur on the back two fish create a sense of movement which is transferred onto the fish in the foreground. This movement is clearly limited by the top of the water, which the bubbles rise to and whose outer black air emphasizes the colors within.
- Rhythm: There is a sense of rhythm in this photo due to the repeated pattern of foam on the sea, which creates a sense of movement.
- Contrast: The gleaming white of the symmetrical church makes it very imposing against the dark background of the night sky and the arch which frames it.
- Emphasis: The fine detail of the dandelion is clearly the focus of this picture, perhaps counter-intuitively so, as there is a dog in the background. As well as the shallow depth of field (large aperture), the white of the dandelion contrasts with the green grass, allowing the dandelion to be more easily emphasized.
- Balance: Despite the cat being balanced on the window edge, there is a sense of imbalance created in this photo due to the majority of the cat's body being on one side, whereas the big fall to the outside world takes up less than half the picture.
- Value: this image demonstrates good value because there is black, white and many shades of grey in between.
- Texture: The cherry is glistening in this photo, highlighting its shiny surface and thus conveying its moist texture.
- Shape: This striking shape of a lamp is emphasized by the shadows running from the center like lines of darker gold.
- Line: Almost everything in this picture makes use of definitive lines. The downward lines created by the legs bring the viewer's focus to the weighing scale, with the center of the scale being further emphasized by the line of the blue carpet.
- Space: This picture creates a sense of space through the use of lines of the path which extend as far as the eye, including the dog's eye, can see.
- Color: The color in this picture is particularly striking because it is outside the window. The subdued browns of the cat and seat inside the window are brought to life by the vivid greens and red-brick wall outside the window creating a sense of warmth and space.
- Form: The form of the trees, particularly the one in the foreground, is captured by the lighting, creating a stark silhouette of the natural branches, in stark contrast to the man-made street.
Principles of Art and Design
(left to right)
- Variety: There are a variety of things in this picture, emphasized by them taking up almost the entire picture and their saturated, contrasting colors.
- Unity: Unity is created in this picture through line (the pave-walk crack, and the feet of human and dogs all follow the same line) and motion blur, depicting how all three individuals are walking together, in the same direction, to the same place.
- Proportion: My very tiny Jack Russell looks large and powerful, with her head above the background line of trees, and her dark figure and shadow complimenting the dark shade of green trees and foreboding, cloudy sky.
- Harmony: There is a harmony of colors created in this photo, taken at dusk, The noise adds to the dusty quality shown in the grey concrete, the dusty blue sky, and purple-looking cherry blossom.
- Movement: The motion blur on the back two fish create a sense of movement which is transferred onto the fish in the foreground. This movement is clearly limited by the top of the water, which the bubbles rise to and whose outer black air emphasizes the colors within.
- Rhythm: There is a sense of rhythm in this photo due to the repeated pattern of foam on the sea, which creates a sense of movement.
- Contrast: The gleaming white of the symmetrical church makes it very imposing against the dark background of the night sky and the arch which frames it.
- Emphasis: The fine detail of the dandelion is clearly the focus of this picture, perhaps counter-intuitively so, as there is a dog in the background. As well as the shallow depth of field (large aperture), the white of the dandelion contrasts with the green grass, allowing the dandelion to be more easily emphasized.
- Balance: Despite the cat being balanced on the window edge, there is a sense of imbalance created in this photo due to the majority of the cat's body being on one side, whereas the big fall to the outside world takes up less than half the picture.
Friday 12 February 2016
Lecture Notes: Principles of Exposure - Capturing Action and Controlling Motion Blur
Lecture Notes: Principles of Exposure
Exposure Triangle
Aperture: Mechanical feature: a series of blades that are closing and opening over each other;
Controls how much light is being let through your camera lens; decreases or increases the diameter of the lens.
Smaller aperture = crisper image, lets in less light, light travels through only the middle of the convex lens (which is less bent than the edges and so the refracted/bent less). A narrow/smaller aperture setting has a higher number, like 8 or 16.
Larger aperture, "fast lens", lets a lot of light in quickly = narrow depth of field (small amount of picture in focus), softer focus. A larger aperture has a smaller number like f/ 1.4
Higher quality lenses have more blades.
F/stop is sometimes synonymous with aperture, but is also used more generally to talk about how much light is in a shot (which all 3 elements of the exposure triangle.
Rule of exposure: "Each Change In ISO Is Equal To One Full F-Stop"
1 stop is changing the light settings by a factor of two.
Shutter speed:
Mechanical feature. How fast the shutter opens and closes;
the longer the shutter speed is open the more motion blur is captured in the shot.
The mirror reflects the light through the viewfinder. When the camera is clicked, the mirror is flipped out of the way to expose the film to the light of what the camera is pointed at.
Fast shutter speed example 1/4000 of a second. Slow shutter speeds examples: 1/10th of a second, or 1 second.
ISO:
Sensitivity of the camera sensor (great for dark conditions), but however, the more sensitivity there is more "noise" or grain. We want to avoid changing this when possible.
White balance: match the whites with the lighting in the environment you're shooting in.
Every time you change one element of the exposure triangle, the other elements are affected.
E.g.
if ISO is increased, more light is let in, so if you want to keep the same exposure, aperture would need to be decreased to limit the light, and shutter speed could be sped up to decrease the light let in - so that an overall balance is created.
Exposure Triangle
Aperture: Mechanical feature: a series of blades that are closing and opening over each other;
Controls how much light is being let through your camera lens; decreases or increases the diameter of the lens.
Smaller aperture = crisper image, lets in less light, light travels through only the middle of the convex lens (which is less bent than the edges and so the refracted/bent less). A narrow/smaller aperture setting has a higher number, like 8 or 16.
Larger aperture, "fast lens", lets a lot of light in quickly = narrow depth of field (small amount of picture in focus), softer focus. A larger aperture has a smaller number like f/ 1.4
Higher quality lenses have more blades.
F/stop is sometimes synonymous with aperture, but is also used more generally to talk about how much light is in a shot (which all 3 elements of the exposure triangle.
Rule of exposure: "Each Change In ISO Is Equal To One Full F-Stop"
1 stop is changing the light settings by a factor of two.
Shutter speed:
Mechanical feature. How fast the shutter opens and closes;
the longer the shutter speed is open the more motion blur is captured in the shot.
The mirror reflects the light through the viewfinder. When the camera is clicked, the mirror is flipped out of the way to expose the film to the light of what the camera is pointed at.
Fast shutter speed example 1/4000 of a second. Slow shutter speeds examples: 1/10th of a second, or 1 second.
ISO:
Sensitivity of the camera sensor (great for dark conditions), but however, the more sensitivity there is more "noise" or grain. We want to avoid changing this when possible.
White balance: match the whites with the lighting in the environment you're shooting in.
Every time you change one element of the exposure triangle, the other elements are affected.
E.g.
if ISO is increased, more light is let in, so if you want to keep the same exposure, aperture would need to be decreased to limit the light, and shutter speed could be sped up to decrease the light let in - so that an overall balance is created.
Wednesday 10 February 2016
Beginning Photoshop Exercises
First Exercise: Color adjustment and selective blur
Tutorial 1: Using Photoshop Selection Tools
Original
Edited
Tutorial 2: Using Photoshop Layers
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