Date archive: May 2012
Bookworm Heaven
5 composition tips to better photographs
1. Get your horizon level. whilst it can be creative to shoot on an angle, in most cases, a level horizon will make for a more appealing photo. I use a bubble level in my hot shoe to help me keep the camera level.
2. Use the rule of thirds. The basics of this rule is to split your frame into 3rd’s both horizontally and vertically (you will end up with 9 squares). You will line up your main subject or focal point where the lines intersect. If you’re not clear on the rule of thirds google it… you will find lots of info on this one!
3. Frame your shots. You could use a tunnel, a window, an archway or even branches on a tree. Use anything you can to create a ‘frame’ within your shot framing your point of focus or interest.
4. Get down low. When photographing kids and pets… get down on there level, a photo will always look better when you get down to their level.
5. Break the rules! Rules were meant to be broken. Have fun with it and try new things. In this digital age, you won’t even be wasting film so click away and see what you come up with!
Bookworm heaven
I went wandering around Sydney City to see what buildings I could get into to shoot. Unfortunately, most don’t allow photography. This is the Old Sydney Library and I had to shoot it through a glass door. I thought it still made an interesting shot… enjoy!
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Panorama
Medium Format
For some of you, the words ‘medium format’ will mean very little… and for the rest of you, it will excite you with thoughts of high pixel count and high quality prints. Most pro photographers have relied on medium format cameras over the years. Photographers such as Ken Duncan definitely use one… when I was at Long Jetty earlier in the week, fine art photographer Matt Pearson let me have a look through the viewfinder of his medium format camera, it is a 16×7 film camera, this is the size of the film area that captures the exposure, and once scanned, allows a print to be printed on a HUGE scale…
As a photographer, it made me go gooey at the knees looking through the viewfinder of his panoramic film camera. I had never seen a medium format camera up close and personal… it makes me want one!
the daily pic – Panorama
Panoramic pics have proven to be popular and I for one, love a good Pano! It is getting easier with modern day cameras and software to create a panoramic image. Here is one I took from on the Cahill Walk in Sydney, I took 6 shots and merged them together. It will never be as good as looking through the viewfinder of Matt’s panoramic medium format film camera but will have to do for now… and maybe, just maybe, one day it will be the viewfinder of my own piece of panoramic photographic history I find myself looking through!
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Forever Jetty
A night at Vivid Sydney
Last night I headed into the City to check out the Vivid Sydney light display. It is very cleverly done and I am sure someone has spent hours and hours to design and develop it. It was actually really hard to capture in a picture as everything about it keeps moving… fast (not great for sharp night time photography!) Having said that, the modern camera is a very capable tool and I did manage to get a few great shots… keep an eye on the blog in the coming days as I process them.
the daily pic – Forever Jetty
A jetty makes a picture… without it, this would just be the sun setting over the lake… with it, it is transformed into the never ending jetty that leads you into an amazing sunset… enjoy!
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Savage Dog
Matt Pearson Fine Art Photographer
It is always cool to meet other photographers when I am out and about taking pics, as for landscape photographers, we are creatures that usually gather at two particular times of the day, sunrise and sunset. I was at Long Jetty after planning a trip there for a sunset shoot. I was patiently waiting for the sun to set when another photographer rocked up, nothing unusual, as it is sunset, and it is a nice spot… then, he sets up 2 tripods and one of them had a medium format 16 x 7 panorama film camera on it… now I know he is really serious (well he looked like he is!). Being me… I introduced myself, it happened to be Matt Pearson, a fine art photographer from Sydney, he had a gallery in Rushcutters Bay that he had just closed to go on the trip of a lifetime. He had been planning for years to spend 12 months travelling around Oz taking pics and will open another gallery when he is back. Long Jetty happened to be his first shoot, we were treated to a sensational sunset… (pics to come in the next few days!) if you want to check out Matt Pearson’s work you can by visiting his website here. Safe travels Matt and thanks for your time… it was great to learn a few things from you!
the daily pic – Savage Dog
I think my wife wants me to be eaten alive by a savage dog! A couple of weeks ago, my wife suggested a really nice tree lined driveway for me to go and shoot… so I decided to check it out. I wasn’t game to venture too far up the driveway after I spotted the sign! enjoy….
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Chrome teardrop
google +
It’s interesting to watch the evolution of the internet. When g+ was first launched it really didn’t seem to take off, and for months I saw hardly any activity on google+. These days it is more lively than ever, and especially if you’re into photography it is a great place to share. I encourage you to check it out for yourself…
the daily pic – Chrome teardrop
When I first stumbled across this sculpture I thought ‘what the heck it that?’, for a second I thought maybe we were being attacked by big birds with big chrome poo’s…. I think it is a water droplet, it is outside the Sydney Water building in Parramatta and I thought it made a cool photo… enjoy!
Click on the photo to order yourself a print or to download (please see licensing for the rules!)