Introduction to Photography

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What is Photography?

Photography is an art form like drawing and painting. Photographers use their camera to make us see life in a

different way, feel emotions, and record stories and events.

There are three basic styles of photography.

Landscape Portrait Documentary

Landscape Landscape is a

photograph of the environment. It could be the forest, mountains, oceans, or your backyard. Ansel Adams is a famous landscape photographer. Here is one of his images.

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Landscape

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What is Landscape Photography?Landscape photography is a photograph of the outdoors.

It could be of the land,

water, or buildings.

Portrait Photography Portrait photography is a

photo of a person or animal.

It is important to show an emotion.

Holding Virgina - Sally Mann

Scared Angry

Other…

What is the emotion shown in this photo?

The Dress - Sally Mann Boy and Car, New York City - Jerome Liebling, 1949

More PortraitsPortraits can be the whole body.

What is Portrait Photography?

A portrait photograph is a picture of a person or animal that shows an emotional connection.

Documentary

Documentary photography presents facts without changing anything.

Good documentary photographs make you wonder what the story is behind the photograph. Migrant Mother - Dorthea Lange

What are the stories in these photos?

Where do you find documentary photographs?

NewspaperMagazines

Internet

Books

Documentary photographs can be either landscape or portrait.

Dante’s View - 1938 Edward Weston

Which photo shows a portrait, and which shows a landscape?

Portrait Landscape

What is Documentary Photography?

Documentary Photography tells a story without changingthe facts.

Remember that a good documentary photograph makes you wonder what the story is behind the picture!

It can be a portrait or landscape.

Some Important Tools

are tools to help you MASTER the art of photography.

Contrast, Rule of Thirds,Point of View, and Proximity

Contrast

Contrast refers to the brightness between the light and shadow areas of a picture.

Does this photograph have contrast?Mapplethorpe, Orchid and Leaf in White Vase 1982

Does it have contrast? What direction is the light on the trees coming from?

Alfred Stieglitz - Icy Night, 1893

What is Contrast?

Contrast is the difference between light and shadow.

Think about a flashlight in a dark room. Don’t think about zebras or pianos!

LIGHTS SHADOWSSHADOWS

Rule of ThirdsA photo is more interesting if the subject is NOT directly in the center. Try placing your subject 1/3 to the left or right, or 1/3 from top or bottom.

Which photograph do you find more interesting?WHY?

One photograph uses rule of thirds and the other uses central focus.

Central Focus Rule of Thirds

Point of ViewTry selecting an unusual point of view.

Where was the photographer standing for each picture?

Eye LevelAbove

Below

ProximityDon’t be shy! Get close to your subject.

8 Most Common Photography Effects

BOKEH

BOKEH is the aesthetic quality of blur, the out of focus areaof the image. It is how the light renders the lighted areas that are out of focus

PANNING

PANNING is the horizontal, vertical or rotational movement of an image still or video. It is an age-old technique,

RULE OF THIRDS

Rule of thirds is one of the most basic techniques of composition. With the rule of thirds, the photographer breaks down the photo into thirds, horizontally and vertically so you have nine equal parts.

THE GOLDEN HOUR

The golden hour, also known as the magic hour, refers to the first hour that the sun rise and the last hour the sun sets.

FIBONACCI RATIO

Fibonacci Ratio or spiral is another guideline for composition and is an intricate version of the rule of thirds.

FILL FLASH

Fill Flash is a technique in photography where the photographer uses flash to “fill in” dark areas of the image. It is perfect for backlit environments.

LONG EXPOSURE

Long Exposure  is another interesting photography effect which entails a narrow aperture and long duration shutter speed. This is done in order to create dreamy landscapes, capturing the stationary elements while blurring the moving elements of the image.

CONTRE-JOUR

Contre-jour is a popular photography effect. It is French for ‘against daylight’, the camera is directly pointing towards the light source. Contre-jour is, basically, is the fancy speak of ‘silhouette photography’. The light source is located directly behind the subject.

CONCLUSION

Art is about exploring yourself and your medium, after all. to be an artist of yourown you have to learn the basics first you them. That’s what Pablo Picassoand Van Gogh did.

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“One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind.”

-Dorthea Lange

Create an account in:eyeem.com

Upload pictures using:#nuartapp#saiailand#thegreymatter#(section)#(effects of composition)

Deadline: August 3, 2015 (Monday)