Winter (January) is here and for me that means continuing my personal film scanning & photo retouching project. My Grandfather & Great Grandfather were both photographers from the Maritimes. It is a endless pile of images from colour slides, negatives, B&W, 35mm, 4x5, etc).
It is a amazing collection of family memories, cultural events and past maritime landscapes. Someday in the "distant future" ;) I will have it all scanned and archived.
My Boxing day hike with the kids at Micou's Island, St.Margaret's Bay Nova Scotia.
Micou's Island, St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia.
My little ones love this place, they get such a kick out of crossing the sandbar to explore the island.
Crossing the sandbar to the Micou's Island
It may not be a long hike but it has everything in one place; forest, beaches, hiking trails and of course lots of salt water.
This is what I call a kitchen with a view. :)
There is lots to see and explore on the island and of course time to stop for the kids favourite winter hiking lunch time snack; KD & hot chocolate.
My little one loves to pose for the camera.
To find out more about Micou's Island visit the St. Margaret's Bay Stewardship Association website.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, if you have any questions or comments free feel to leave a comment below.
Cheers and keep making photos :)
Mike
I love the sceince & emotion of photographic compostion. For some, composition comes naturally. But for most (myself included), good photography composition is a learned skill. Just like any learned technique such as the technical side of exposure ( Shutter Speed Aperture, ISO), you can learn and apply composition rules to your photography. It takes awareness, practice and real effort to create an engaging photograph.
Rule of Thrids - Peggy's cove, Nova Scotia
When you apply good composition to your photography you create visual interest in your photos. It helps to lead the viewer through your image and adds to telling the story you want to express.
Remember, as a photographer you have complete control of every visual element in the frame of your camera; what you shoot, time of day, distance to subject, camera settings, camera type and of course composition.
Leadng lines - McCabe Lake, Nova Scotia
When you apply specific composition techniques within a photograph you are creating visual interest within your photo. Think back to the time you saw a particular photo and said “Wow that is a great photo”. Now, try and analyze why you think it is a “wow” image. Usually, there is at least one composition principle being used in the photo.
A strong subject matter can have a lot to do with the interest of the photo. However, a strong subject matter and poor composition may create less engagement with the viewer.
From a scientific point of view, when we use compelling composition in our photography it actually creates more activity in the brain for the viewer. This increased brain activity increases the subconscious feeling of connection and interest within your photograph.
With just a bit of effort and planning, you can dramatically improve your own photography with these simple techniques.
The amazing concept I love about composition, is that you do not have to have a particular type of camera or expensive gear. Any type of camera can create a beautiful image. Composition is not based upon technology. The best camera you have is your mind’s eye. The physical camera is simply an extension of what you see and want to create.
Below are 7 short composition techniques that will improve your photography.
(1) Define the main subject with your photo
Try and show a clear main subject in the photo and this does not mean it has to be a person. It could be a mountaintop, coastline, flower or even how the light is sweeping across a room. So before you start snapping away, think about what is the main subject you are trying to photograph and how the subject is interacting with all the other visual elements within your frame.
(2) Rule of Thirds (Move it from the middle)
When you look in the viewfinder, imagine there are lines dividing the frame in the section. Two horizontal and two vertical line placed a third of the way into the frame. For example, when you are photographing a landscape try and place the horizon on one of this horizontal lines. When you place the horizon on these lines you are creating visual interest in your photos.
If your subject is in the middle try and place the subject slightly to the right or left under one of these lines. Placing the main subject, horizon etc, to the left or right you will create a stronger, more deliberate visual tension in the frame.
(3) Points of Interest
Adding to the technique of the “Rule of Thirds” comes the technique of where these lines intersect. Believe it or not we have a natural tendency to look to where these virtual lines intersect and if you place your main subject under one of these intersecting points you will create a stronger composition and interest in your image.
(4) Fill the frame
You can never get too close. When I am teaching my photo workshop, one of the most common challenges I see is that the student’s main subject is never large enough in the frame. When you fill the frame with your intended subject you keep the viewer's eye within your image. This technique creates an instant connection between the viewer and the subject in your photo.
So the next time you are taking that photo, take the time and really ask yourself if you can get closer to the subject.
(5) Leading lines
This is still one of favorite composition techniques. Having a line or path in your photo leads the viewer through the photograph.
This creates motion and structure with your photo and create more interest within your image.
(6) Shapes & Patterns
I am always looking for recognizable shapes and repeating patterns within the frame of my camera.
McCabe Lake, Nova Scotia
These shapes and patterns become something a viewer can subconsciously relate to when they are viewing your images.
(7) Look for Unique Angles
When I am teaching my photography workshops, I am always saying “ If you are not crawling on the ground or trying to climb that tree you are not pushing yourself to find the unique perspectives with your photos.” Remember if we only photograph from eye level we only end up with photography that everyone can see with their own eyes.
You do not need to have all of these techniques within every photo you create. You may one apply one or two techniques and of course you do not have to follow these rules all the time. That's the beauty of photography, you can break them anytime you want. However, as I said in my last post, you want to break the rules with intention instead of by accident. When you break the rules by accident you won't clearly know why your image is successful. But when you plan and make the effort to create your photograph, you will naturally start to look for composition in your own photography.
Bluff Wilderness Trail, Halifax Nova Scotia
So let me state this again; anyone can learn to take beautiful photographs. You do not need to be born with this skill. However, it does take a commitment of time, effort and a lot of practice to make this a natural instinctive reaction when you are using your camera. So with the holidays near there are so many opportunities to practice these techniques. Think about how you can try to apply just a one of these techniques the next time you are using your camera.
Remember to push yourself to think about what you are seeing in the frame before you take the snapshot and try and make it a photograph.
Cheers & keep making photos. :)
Mike
I have been getting my Christmas trees from the T. Ernst Forest Christmas tree farm since I was a kid.
The light & snow was a perfect combination for Christmas tree picking.
This annual holiday trip is an important part of my Christmas tradition and the fresh snowfall and dramatic light created the perfect winter wonderland of Christmas trees.
As I mentioned in my previous weekly photography post "How to tell a Visual Story with your Photographs", trips like this are a perfect opportunity to practice telling a visual Story with your own photography.
The folks at the T. Ernst Forest Products Inc. Christmas tree farm, near Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia are amazing and kind folks. They really take the time to add to the fun of this Christmas tradition.
When I was little, my Grandfather would get our Christmas tree from this farm. When I got older I started the same tradition and now I continue this tradition with my little ones. They always look forward to picking out their own tree and of course riding on the trailer.
So many beautiful trees to choose from, you just can't help yourself from singing christmas songs when you look for that "one" perfect tree.
If you have never been to a U-pick Christmas tree lot be sure to give it a try. You may find it becomes a new tradition for you and your family.
Below is link to the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia website and a list where you can find a U-Pick Christmas tree farm in your area. http://iloverealtrees.com
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, if you have any questions or comments free feel to drop me a email or leave a comment.
Cheers and keep taking photos :)
Mike
I believe in the power of a single photograph to relay a message but a series of photos can truly convey detailed elements of your story that might be missed with just one image.
Many times we are taking photos for family events, traveling to exotic places or even going for that short winter hike along the trail and become focused on creating that one perfect photo.
We all get fixed on creating the perfect image. We (myself included) sometimes forget to stop and really take the time to see all the visual moments that are happening during the search for that one perfect photo. These visual moments can create a richer story that is deeper than the single photograph we are trying to create.
This is not to say there is no value in the individual photo but this is more of a suggestion to create a more detailed story with a series of images.
Like any great movie, there are main actors, supporting actors and multiple camera angles that all combine to make the story as a whole.
I keep a simple approach when I am trying to create a visual story. When I am taking photos I mentally try to break down what I am photographing into different elements.
There could be more than these four photo elements but I try to photograph at least these four types. This allows me to have a variety of images to choose from when I am building my story after the taking of photos is finished.
How many you have of each grouping will depend on the subject matter or the complexity of the story you are trying to convey. If you look at my Instagram account or Facebook posts, I usually try to show posts with three or more images. This way I can relay more of a detailed story than just one photo at a time.
Now of course, this does not happen all the time and just like in any visual art form, rules are meant to be broken. However my standpoint on rules is simple. Break them with intention instead of by accident, meaning I sometimes create or share only one image to tell my story of that moment.
As I mentioned in my previous post "pixels are free" and it does not cost anything to take additional photos with your digital camera. So the next time you are creating photos, don’t just take that one perfect family portrait or pretty sunset. Think about how you can convey a more complete story with 3-4 different images.
Experiment, play and have fun with your photography and remember "we take snapshots but we create photographs".
If you try this method, I would love to see your results. Please feel free to send me a link to your photos or leave a note in the comments.
Cheers and keep making photos. :)
Mike
