Photographic Vision

Learning Guide 4

Published in

Introduction to Photography and Lightroom

5 min readOct 3, 2016

http://www.moma.org/collection/works/44912?locale=en

“One has to take several different shots of a subject, from different points of view and in different situations, as if one examined it in the round rather than looked through the same key-hole again and again.”
-Alexander Rodchenko

Alexander Mikhailovich Rodchenko was one of the primary artists of Constructivism, but also a ground-breaking photographer known for his unique perspectives and unusual compositions meant to engage the viewer in the photograph– qualities that are taken for granted now. Rodchenko: Masters of Photography

Skills and Concepts

Adjusting basic settings

Adjusting autofocus type and point

Adjusting exposure type

Composition

Zoom vs. Perspective

Lecture Topics

Basic Camera Controls

Zoom/Perspective

Baseline Requirements

Good/Bad Assignment (50)

Rodchenko Emulation (35)

Good/Bad Assignment

Key Readings

all readings required

Learning to See (all the parts)

What is Composition in Photography? and Open vs. Closed Composition

Colour Theory as Applied to Photography

Essay

After completing the key readings, look through the images you have made so far in class. Thinking about what you’ve learned so far and what was in the key readings, find an image that you consider good and a different image that you consider bad. Write a critique about each image. Make sure to mention what you like and what you don’t like about both images. Then, try and discover what makes the good one good and the bad one bad. Finally, give some concrete examples of what you would do to improve the bad image and something that would have made the good image bad if you had done something differently. While you are writing your critiques, make sure to mention things that you learned in the readings (type of composition, color theory, etc.)

Emulation

Read about and look through Rodchenko’s work. Find an image that you really enjoy and that, for you, exemplifies what he was about as a photographer. Emulate that image, remembering that this is a process:

Shooting Assignments

We are trying to find the best way to shoot a given subject. Be thoughtful about what you are shooting, and keep trying to find a better way to shoot your subject.

Zooming (Focal Length)

Take a series of pictures of the same subject across the whole focal length range of your camera/lens. A minimum of three different subjects.

Foot Zooming (Focal Distance) (camera phone/iPad OK)

Similar to what was done above, take a series of pictures of the same subject, but instead of changing the focal length, move yourself closer to the subject. A minimum of three different subjects.

Stick With a Focal Length (camera phone/iPad OK)

Likewise, shoot a variety of subjects at the same focal length (try 35mm). Shoot five different subjects at that single focal length. Then, pick a different focal length, and a different set of subjects.

Perspective

Shoot the same subject from a variety of perspectives. Stand far away and zoom in. Stand close and zoom out. Change your shooting angle (high, low). Shoot ten pictures of the same subject from different perspectives. Do this for two different subjects.

Inspired by 3 Shots Challenge

Whole Objects (camera phone/iPad OK)

Find an object and work on getting the whole thing in the frame, but try and waste as little of the frame as possible. You may need to change perspective or your camera orientation to do this. At least ten images.

Partial Objects (camera phone/iPad OK)

Find an object and fill the entire frame with only part of the object. At least ten images

Framing Fun (camera phone/iPad OK)

Think about how you can take a picture that optimizes the framing restrictions listed below. The article, Explore the Edges, might inspire you.

Orientation — Take ten pictures with the frame in any orientation that it isn’t horizontal or vertical.

Subject Position — Take ten pictures with the subject along the edge of the frame, even if they are partially out of the frame.

Rule of Thirds and Golden Ratio (camera phone/iPad OK)

There are two compositional concepts people tend to lean on in their images. One is to divide the frame into three equal parts vertically and horizontally and to place your subject on one of the intersections or on one of the vertical/horizontal lines. The other is to do the same thing, but to base the the grid on the golden ratio.

Take eight images utilizing the rule of thirds as a compositional tool and take eight images utilizing a phi grid (golden ratio) as a compositional tool.

Enrichment

Have a look at the work of the artists listed. Choose one of the photographers, show some examples of their work, and then emulate their work. (5 points)

Create a series of forced perspective photographs. (5 points)

Do more research on composition or color with the links provided. Create some images that reflect your new understanding. Cite the resources and include the images that inspired you. (5 points)

Additional Readings

Don’t Be Lazy

Photographer

Agnès Caixàs, Jurgen Heckel, the story of Bliss (the world’s most viewed photograph)

Focal Length

crop factor, more on crop factor, effects of focal length and distance

p. 34–49 in Capture, p. 130–177 in Fundamentals of Photography, Chapter 2 from Within the Frame, Chapter 3 in Photography, p. 28–47 in A Short Course in Digital Photography, Chapter 11 in The Photographic Eye, Wide Angle and Wide Angle, Kit Lens, Primes vs. Zooms

Perspective get low, illusion, get close, effective perspective

Forced Perspective forced perspective, more forced perspective, using toys and forced perspective

Basics of Composition fill the frame, framing your shots, landscape compositions, notes on compositions, what you put in the frame determines the photograph (video), photographic composition (video), some composition ideas, keep it simple, c is for composition, spot the not, details, video tutorials, what is composition (video), rule of thirds vs. golden ratio (video), master class on composition, A CGI artist on composition (video), the myth of the rule of thirds