Old Man Progress

The top image is the photo given to the class as part of Project 3. I have made most of the overall corrections I need to make before I begin correcting the little details in the photo. I have made such corrections as...

- cropping the image to fit the Rule of Thirds

- correct the broken fence

- adjust overall levels

- remove pixelation and random marks

- remove shadows against house

- remove unnecessary objects, such as the light and boy's head 

Experimentation

Composition in photography is far from a science, and as a result all of the "rules" above should be taken with a pinch of salt. If they don't work in your scene, ignore them; if you find a great composition that contradicts them, then go ahead and shoot it anyway. But they can often prove to be spot on, and are worth at least considering whenever you are out and about with your camera.

Composition Rules in Photography

http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/10-top-photography-composition-rules

Above is the link to a website that has the top ten useful rules for photography. We discussed focal points and the rule of thirds, but there were some concepts that I found on the site I have never put much thought to. These could really help my photography stand out among others and help me grow as a photographer.

1. Rule of Thirds
2. Balancing Elements
3. Leading Lines
4. Symmetry and Patterns
5. Viewpoint
6. Background
7. Depth
8. Framing
9. Cropping
10. Experimentation

COLOR...

This photo really captures the meaning of colors. This was one of the nominee's from the National Geographic Photo Contest in 2011.

This is another photo from the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest that really captures the feeling of the magazine. I think this is definitely a possible cover photo. The murky, green color against the zebra's black and white skin is the main focal point in this composition.

National Geographic

Winners of the 2011 National Geographic Photo Competition:

Last year, National Geographic reviewed over 20,000 submissions from over 130 countries for its Best of 2011 Photo Contest. Below are two of my favorite photos that I found, both of which focus on color and capturing the subject matter in its natural environment.

Rule of Thirds

While this video is based around layout design, it still very much applies to photography. The Rule of Thirds is something that I have always been aware of but never put much attention to. I have realized that my photography is much stronger when I directly focus on it. This video sums up the rule very well and shows how to use the rule in applications.

Project 2: Panorama

My progress on the panorama shot is shown above. The top image has been color corrected. I am not finished in that I still need to work more on the gradient in the background (left) and I need to touch up a little places using the Replace Color tool in Photoshop. I think the progress I have made is definitely noticeable though. I brought out a few of the key colors in this shot, including the brick house, the buildings in the inner harbor, and the sky.