Some ideas and techniques that are
essential when taking a good photograph:
•Shot
distance
•Use
of tilt
•Shot
composition
•Eye
line
•Tone
•Composition
•Line
•Colour,
including vivid, primary and monochromatic colour
•Texture,
and hints on creating texture
•Patterns
and hints on capturing patterns
Shot
distance types
ELS/LS Good for showing the insignificance of
character or for showing characters as powerless within an overpowering
environment. Also good for establishing location
MLS/MS – good for showing movement or for a balanced tracking of characters and their
environment
MCU/CU – good for portraiture or for
Moving
image interviews
BCU/ECU Good for showing the significance of
character or for showing characters as powerful. Also highly useful drawing
attention to character emotions
Tilt
up shot (Low angle) –
used to convey power or dominance
Tilt
down shot
(high angle)– used to convey vulnerability or weakness of person in shot
and to demonstrate dominance of point of
view
Tone
•Control
of tones, including variations of light and dark, emphasising important parts
of the image, and colour, generally set the ‘mood’ of your photograph.
•Tone
control can be used to emphasise the shapes of the most important elements in
your image.
Photographic/moving image
techniques
Composition
•You
need to think very carefully about how you compose a photograph.
•Many
photographers place their subject in the middle of the photograph, which can
often result in a dull image.
•Use
of off centre composition can create a focal point
Lines
•Lines
are useful for emphasising and leading the viewer towards a main area or
subject.
•They
may also divide up the picture space into segments, which vary in size and
shape. The shape of lines and their general pattern can strongly influence the
mood of the photograph.
•You
can easily control the appearance of lines in your pictures by camera
viewpoint.
Using colour
•Taking
control of the way in which colour is used in your photos is a key way of
improving your images
•Keep
your eyes open for vibrant coloured subjects, but also look for delicate
coloured subjects and ones with muted tones
•Colour
Sells.
Bright, bold colours are used on magazine covers, so choose or plan the shots
that you will take when producing your magazine cover
Red,
yellow and blue can always be relied upon to make an impact, especially
combined with sunlight.
This
image shows the primary colours combined with sunlight, and it has made a very
clear and vibrant image
It
can also work well to use just one or two colours within a picture, such shots
often have an intensity and sense of harmony. These
sunflowers has a sense of harmony and
intensity which is often lacking in more conventional photographs
Textures
•Most of the time when we are taking
photographs we think about the subject, but there is another way of approaching
picture-taking, which involves thinking beyond the subject and looking at it in
terms of textures and patterns.
•Photography is especially effective at
conveying the impression of texture. This is a quality which can be extremely
powerful close-up.
•Direction, height and the quality of
lighting make a big difference to the appearance of textures.
•A
critically sharp image is a vital factor in enhancing the effect of the texture
in a photograph.
•It
is best to use a tripod to eliminate the risk of camera shake
•You
should also make sure that the subject you choose is small enough to provide
enough depth of field for all the important details to rendered sharply
•As
a rule, subjects with bold, deeply indented textured surfaces will be more
effective when lit with a soft light, whereas those with a more subtle texture need less diffused and
more acutely angled light to enhance it.
Patterns
•
Harsh light and shadow can reveal the shape of something so well that it is
unnecessary to actually show the subject itself.
•Patterns
are frequently caused by the effect of shadows.
•Patterns
are also created when a distinctive shape is repeated within the image and it
can have a powerful impact when used as part of a composition
Hints of capturing patterns
•To
exploit fully the shape of a subject you must ensure there is a good tonal or
colour constant between the subject and the background.
•Lighting
can help to create bold shapes when the subject is lit more strongly than its
background, or when it is backlit so that the halo of light defines its
outline.
People
•Photographs
of people and children are the most common form of photography.
•One
of the key things to consider is whether you want the person to pose for the
shot, or whether a ‘candid’ photograph would be better so that your subjects
are unaware of you and your camera.
