• Photography

    Symmetry: Photography Composition #4

    Symmetry What does symmetry mean? How does it relate to composition in photography? Basically, symmetry means that if you fold a picture in half, each side would be a mirror image of the other.  When we come to photography, the concept becomes less strict. After all, we are not trying to follow mathematical rules, but rather attempting to create an aesthetically pleasing image. It’s all about creativity. Whether the picture is exactly symmetrical or not doesn’t matter. Like all art, it’s more about storytelling. What is it you are trying to say with your photograph? Some of my pictures in previous posts are examples of using symmetry in composition, like…

  • Photography

    Off Centre Framing : Composition #3

    Off Centre Framing Knowing how to use off centre framing is an important aspect of composition. Most subjects benefit from this type of placement, it tends to be more interesting and visually appealing. Why is that? Well, it encourages your eye to wander around the image and explore all of it, not just one object stuck in the middle of the frame. Of course, sometimes it’s appropriate to centre your shot. I did that in the Pink photograph because I wanted to emphasize the symmetry of the flower. See Fill the Frame for more details. Having the main subject on the right seem to suit the eye best, but it…

  • Photography

    Negative Space: Photography Composition #2

        Negative Space Yesterday’s blog post about Photography Composition was about filling the frame in order to draw attention to your main subject. The opposite also holds true…You can use negative or empty space to enhance your main subject too. It’s just a different way of approaching your goal. You want your image to be more than just a record. It’s your unique interpretation of the scene, your story to tell. In Fire Ghosts, above,  I wanted to draw attention to the boy holding the fire rods and  the way the flames looked like ghosts. It was a night shot, so processing it as low-key was relatively easy. I wanted all…

  • Photography

    Photography Composition #1: Fill the Frame

      Photography Composition I’ve been asked to give a presentation for my camera club, Happy Snappers on Photography Composition next Tuesday. I remember doing something similar at my previous club, but I have no idea where my notes are.  So here I am, starting from scratch…Probably a good thing, it will keep it fresh, I hope. There are many different tips for helping you create more interesting pictures, but I wouldn’t get too caught up in the rules. We are all individuals and see things differently. What’s important is that your picture says what you want it to say. Are you fascinated by the hundreds of poppies dotting the cornfield,…

  • Photography

    Balance

    Balance     Photograph: Balance This is the photograph “Balance” that won the judges’ award at the Happy Snappers camera club exhibition. As I said before, I was absolutely delighted to receive this award. We all submit our pictures, but we do it not thinking about winning anything, it’s just nice to participate. Sometimes I think that my images are a bit too left of centre to do well in competitions, I tend to break rules rather than follow them. The creative spirit, I guess…Or maybe just being awkward!? Anyway, it was a lovely surprise to see this picture win the judges’ approval. Background When I first spotted this picture in my…

  • Photography

    Happy Snappers Award

    Happy Snappers Judges Choice Award I was delighted to take part in this year’s photography exhibition by Happy Snappers Camera Club and really thrilled to receive the Judges Choice award. There was a fabulous array of photographs on display and it was a great honour to have my picture chosen for this award. The image is titled “Balance” and I shot it at a beach in the UK, not Asia as a lot of people seem to think!   The Happy Snappers award looks stunning and is a testament to the club’s attention to detail and artistic appreciation. The plaque will certainly have pride of place in my home. It’s always exciting to…

  • Photography

    Homeward Bound Photograph

    Homeward Bound Do you ever observe people on the street, watch them  walk by and wonder about them?  Maybe imagine what their life is like and where they are going?  When I spotted this man, walking along by the river, he just gave me the impression that he was homeward bound. I’m not sure why, it was just a feeling. And, of course, the Simon & Garfunkel song immediately jumped into my mind. There was nothing for it, I had to take the shot! And that’s how the Homeward Bound photograph began. The Photograph The photograph was taken in Westport, Co. Mayo.  It’s a lovely spot to visit and it…

  • Photography

    Trapped Photography

     Trapped “Men are not prisoners of fate, but  prisoners of their own minds.”   Franklin D. Roosevelt I love this quote by Roosevelt about feeling trapped. The first time I read it, I had one of those ” light bulb ” moments and it made me stop and reassess things. I realised that, for much of my life, I had been trapped in a cell of my own making. Trapped by a numbing fear of failure that made me question my abilities in so many different areas of life. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this fear affected me creatively. Whether posting images online, or presenting them at clubs and other venues,…