Week 3 - composition

I was busy for week 3 and didn't get around to my homework, so I'm using week 5 for catching up on week 3, which is composition.

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/320

Okay, so I had a nice long email chat with Brooke about composition and how I was feeling overwhelmed with the pressure of being super unique and creative for composing my shots.  And she helped to me realize that I can use good composition tools even in very normal, everyday situations.  Which was encouraging because that's where I'm taking my pictures most of the time.  I think my most used composition tool is simplicity, but I did venture out to find some quick, simple backgrounds.  These first two locations are both at gas stations.  I was using lines and textures in this one.

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/320

I was trying out the framing in this one.  I'm thinking that the bottom of the building is a little distracting though with the weeds and chipping paint.  Would you have done something differently in composing this shot?

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/320

This is using a little of simplicity and lines.  I find myself cutting off at joints often, I need to work on that.  Where do you normally cut of bodies when you don't want the whole body in it?  I don't always want the whole body?  Is where I cut off here okay?

ISO 100, 1/1000, f/2

Using lines and texture again.  I could have used the beach one from my last post for a composition shot but that's more lines and texture.

So it looks like I'm pretty decent at finding lines and textures but I struggle with branching out of that.  Any suggestions of how to use more of the composition elements?

Week 4 homework, natural light

Side lit

ISO 200, F/2.8, 1/160

This one looks a lot more grey when I posted it online that it did on my computer.  It looked a lot warmer and more pleasing but oh well.

Backlit

ISO 200, F/4.5, 1/125

I LOVED the tip on shading the lens.  It's like a whole new world is open to me.  I've often been frustrated by the haziness that occurs because of too much light coming in.  I had a lens hood, but for this image I didn't have it with me so I just shaded the lens a bit with my lens cap and it made all the difference.  In fact I think I'll post the image I shot without shading it to see the difference.  so here it is..

Same exact settings.  I definitely think both effects are important to know how to create.  This one with the glow can be appealing if that's what you are going for, and the other is definitely useful if you are looking for crisp, sharp images and looking to omit the lens flare.  YAY, I'm so happy I know about this.  

Front lit

ISO 100, F4/5, 1/125

Okay so this is not really front lit, I realize.  I'm afraid that I didn't quite fulfill this requirement as I should have.  But I originally started taking the shot with the sun directly on her face and used the technique that Brooke used in the field with the girl with the curly hair and having the subject turn to create their own shadow on her face.  So I may not have demonstrated getting rid of the dapples and such with this.  I'll have to try something else.  Any suggestions on other tips I should try to get a front lit shot?  It seems hard so I guess I just try to avoid it. :)

Using natural reflectors

ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/250

I'm not really sure if beach sand is a natural reflector and if it is if it was really used in this shot, but this was my attempt at it.  

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/400

This is another attempt at natural reflectors, but I don't know if this colored building is the type of thing I should be looking for or not.  I also don't know if it worked out because her hair is blocking the building directly in front of the part of her face that should be reflected upon.  Am I doing this right?  What other tips on natural reflectors do you think I would benefit from?

Silhouette
ISO 200, F/2.8, 1/125
I think this could have been a little bit more exposed.  I'm not sure what the definition of a silhouette is, if it's supposed to be strictly a black shape or if it's still a silhouette if you can see some definition in the subject?  Is this technically a silhouette?

Week 2 - shutter speed homework

FROZEN ACTION

ISO - 400, Shutter speed 1/500, Aperture f/5.6

BLURRED ACTION

ISO 100, Shutter Speed 1/30, Aperture f/14

COMPARISONS - just for fun

ISO 100, f/18, 1/1600

ISO - 100, f/2.8, 1/1600

ISO - 100, f/22, 1/25

ISO 100 - f/3.5, 1/1250

PANNING

This is not the most interesting photo ever but it shows the technique.  I ran out of time to get super creative.

ISO - 100, Shutter speed - 1/20, Aperture f22

I don't even know if you can use this technique going up and down, is that even legal? :) I tried it because I was already doing the shots on the trampoline.  It worked a little bit, she's kind of in focus with everything else blurred.  I can't really see many instances where you'd ever want to pan up and down besides a trampoline, and I'm not even sure I really like the effect, but here it is none the less.

I also have heard of the panning with the zoom technique.  Where you zoom in while the camera is taking the shoot with a super slow shutter speed.  Have you ever done that?  Are there any tips or tricks for that method.  I got a cool picture like that a few years ago, but I think I didn't know what I was doing, really.

I have lots of other fun shots from the trampoline that I want to compile in a collage and put up her just to have record with this homework assignment.  Motion is a fun thing to work with even though it can be quite tricky.

Week one - Aperture Homework

Story telling aperture  -  ISO 200, Aperture f/16, shutter speed 1/30
I feel like most of my pictures are hazy, not really blurry, but not super crisp and vibrant.  I'm assuming it has more to do with the quality of my camera and lens than anything else but if you have any tips for getting vibrant, crisp pictures I would love to here it.

Who cares aperture  -  ISO 100, Aperture f/8, shutter speed 1/100  

Subject was directly against background and didn't need to be pulled away from it, so I used the mid range f stop value.

Singular theme aperture  -  ISO 100, Aperture f/2.5, shutter speed 1/100-standing farther away from subject

ISO 100, Aperture f/2.5, shutter speed 1/100-standing closer to subject

Both pictures directly above are ISO 100, aperture f/2.5, shutter speed 1/400

I was using singular theme but focusing on 2 different parts of the image.

Bonus Technical Exercise

Story telling - ISO 400, Aperture f/18, Shutter speed 1/25 (A little blurry all around because I had to bring the shutter speed all the way down.  I should have bumped up the ISO a little more instead, is that what you would have done?)

Who Cares - ISO 200, Aperture f/8, Shutter speed 1/60

Singular theme - ISO 100, Apterture f/3.5, Shutter speed 1/125

Other bonus images

Trying out the sunburst that Brooke talked about...pretty fun!  Are the two spots in the picture because my lens might have been dirty or does the lens just reflect in situations like this in general?

And just another singular theme aperture I took advantage of while visiting my grandparent's gravesite on memorial day.