Practical Composition in Photography


Book Description

Discusses the rules of composition, shows how to use the characteristics of different types of lenses, and provides advice on using color and special effects




Creative Composition


Book Description

Take your best shots with this invaluable guide to composition for DSLR cameras Sometimes you get the best results by breaking the rules, but first you have to know what the rules are! In this indispensable photography guide, renowned photographer Harold Davis first walks you through the recommended guidelines for composing great shots with your DSLR camera-and then shows you how to break free, build your own unique style, and compose beautiful images with confidence. Provides practical composition basics as well as the artistic tips and tricks eagerly sought by digital SLR camera lovers, who are growing in number as DSLR camera sales continue to grow Explores the fundamental rules of composition-then how to break those rules to take captivating and unique images Informs and inspires you with the author's own gorgeous examples of landscapes, portraits, close-ups, and other photos that illustrate his concepts Helps you jump-start your creativity by showing you new ways to see Go beyond the basics and create a photography style that's all your own with this must-have guide.




Picture Perfect Practice


Book Description

Foreword by Skip Cohen Translating the chaos of the real world into a breathtakingly simple, beautiful photograph can often seem like an impossible task. With busy, cluttered backgrounds and subjects who don’t know how to pose, how can you take control and get a great shot no matter the situation? In Picture Perfect Practice, photographer Roberto Valenzuela breaks down the craft of photography into three key elements–locations, poses, and execution–that you can use to unlock the photographic opportunities lying beneath every challenging situation. Valenzuela stresses the need for photographers to actively practice their craft every day–just like you would practice a musical instrument–in order to master the art of making great images. With chapters that offer practice exercises to strengthen your photographic abilities, you’ll learn how to approach a scene, break it down, and see your way to a great photograph. The Location section features chapters that cover symmetry, balance, framing, color elements, textures, and much more. The Posing section includes the Five Key Posing Techniques that Valenzuela uses every time he’s shooting people, as well as a complete list of poses and how to achieve, customize, and perfect them. The Execution portion, with sections like “Lighting through Direction” and “Simplicity through Subtraction,” reveals Valenzuela’s overall approach to getting the shot. The book also includes an inspiring and helpful chapter on deliberate practice techniques, where Valenzuela describes his system for practicing and analyzing his work, which leads to constant improvement as a photographer. If you’ve been frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of real-world locations, posing your subjects, or executing a great image–or if you simply want to become a better shooter but don’t know where to start– Picture Perfect Practice gives you the tools and information you need to finally become the kind of photographer you’ve always wanted to be: the kind who can confidently walk into any location, under any lighting condition, with any subject, and know that you can create astonishing photographs that have a timeless impact.




Fundamentals of Photo Composition


Book Description

Good composition is at the heart of photography: it's a timeless principle that remains firm no matter how much the technology changes and develops. Taking a cue from classic art, this lushly illustrated guide introduces the basic rules of traditional composition. It covers all the fundamentals every photographer should know, from framing the image to color, balance, depth, lines of force, and symmetry. Both beginner and intermediate photographers will find it an invaluable resource to turn to again and again.




Bryan Peterson's Understanding Composition Field Guide


Book Description

Learn to “see” more compelling images with this on-the-go field guide from Bryan Peterson! What makes an image amazing? Believe it or not, it is not about the content. What makes a photo compelling is the arrangement of that content—in other words, its composition. The right composition gives your images impact and emotion; the wrong one leaves them flat. In this handy, take-anywhere guide, renowned photographer, instructor, and bestselling author Bryan Peterson frees amateur photographers from the prejudices of what is “beautiful” or “ugly” so that they can instead focus on color, line, light, and pattern. Get the tools you need to show your distinct voice and point of view in every image you shoot. With this guide in your camera bag, you’ll be equipped not only to “see” beautiful images but to successfully shoot them each and every time. Also available as an ebook




Photographic Composition


Book Description

An approach to photographic composition explains how to use a variety of composition principles and techniques and photographic equipment to create special photographic effects




50 Principles of Composition in Photography


Book Description

50 Principles of Composition in Photography will reveal how to capture more creative, imaginative and inspired photographs using both film and digital photography. With Klaus Bohn's clear and practical guidelines you will discover how to heighten your visual acuity and take more artistic, appealing and captivating images.These principles of composition have been gained from a lifetime of learning and thousands of dollars spent in attending private courses given by the world's top professional photographers including: Joe Zeltzman, Monte Zucker, Donald Jack, Rocky Gunn, Yousuf Karsh, Arnold Newman, and many more.Learn the techniques to distinguish yourself from the photographers who simply take snapshots. Acquire the skills to give form and balance to your photographs by combining the elements harmoniously in order to see a subject in the strongest way. This book is sure to become a valued resource in your personal library, to be consulted and relied upon for many years to come.Klaus Bohn is a Professional Photographer with a Masters of Photographic Arts. He has been teaching the art of photography since 1984 to amateurs and professionals alike. Klaus has been commissioned to photograph many notable people over the years, a few of whom include: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Norman Vincent Peale, Art Linkletter, Anne Murray, author of the best selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books Mark Victor Hansen, NHL All-Star of the Calgary Flames Theoren Fleury, and World Class Cyclist Roland Green."Just for a little while, let Klaus be your mentor. His struggling for creativity is revealing, is so evident. Reach out to grab it. Resolve to integrate this highly saleable touch of class into your daily output."Jack Curtis, author, "Wedding Portaits and Photography World""I was so impressed with what Klaus had to say that I had to restrain myself."Paul Castle, author, "Promoting Portraits""Klaus has been quite successful... and both he and his Photography must be given better than average marks. What follows are epitomized abstractions of some of Klaus' comments on how he operates, and I feel they could be of practical value to you."D. H. Moore, author, "The Practice of Modern Photography"




Photographic Composition


Book Description

All fine artists share a common goal: to combine individual elements into a convincing, cohesive whole that tells a story or expresses an intention. Photography is especially suited to this pursuit because the photographer can create multiple, distinct images of a single subject using a variety of design techniques. The display on a digital camera instantly shows the arrangement of elements in an image, allowing the photographer to make changes and refine their creation as they work. Albrecht Rissler believes that a firm understanding of image design is as important as having an observant eye or having the technical knowledge to operate a camera. Photographic Composition presents the most important concepts of image design and offers 250 beautiful photographs to illustrate these concepts. By applying these concepts to your own work, you will greatly improve your photographic eye and your ability to compose an ideal image. This book's impressive images are in black-and-white, intentionally removing the distraction of color and making it easy to focus on compositional elements and form. With this book, photographers as well as all visual artists will learn how to infuse their own images with excitement, develop and hone their visual language, and express their personal artistic aesthetic. Topics include: The effect of various aspect ratios Perspective and composition Form and contrast Proportion and harmony Symmetry and asymmetry Brightness and darkness Structures and textures The "perfect moment"




Crime Scene Photography


Book Description

Crime Scene Photography is a book wrought from years of experience, with material carefully selected for ease of use and effectiveness in training, and field tested by the author in his role as a Forensic Services Supervisor for the Baltimore County Police Department.While there are many books on non-forensic photography, none of them adequately adapt standard image-taking to crime scene photography. The forensic photographer, or more specifically the crime scene photographer, must know how to create an acceptable image that is capable of withstanding challenges in court. This book blends the practical functions of crime scene processing with theories of photography to guide the reader in acquiring the skills, knowledge and ability to render reliable evidence. - Required reading by the IAI Crime Scene Certification Board for all levels of certification - Contains over 500 photographs - Covers the concepts and principles of photography as well as the "how to" of creating a final product - Includes end-of-chapter exercises




Mastering Composition


Book Description

Going beyond the rule of thirds, this offers invaluable tips and tools to help the photographer take control of the creative process with emphasis on four elements: an impactful subject, dynamic composition, effective use of lighting, and an ability to invoke an emotional response in the viewer What makes a great photo? Flicking through the pages of popular photography magazines you might get the impression that there's only one rule of importance--the rule of thirds. Indeed it appears that some will judge the merit of a photograph based almost solely on this. Rarely do you hear discussion about visual weight, balance, negative space, depth, and so on. Author and professional photographer Richard Garvey-Williams argues that success lies in a combination of four elements: an impactful subject; dynamic composition; effective use of lighting; and, perhaps the most crucial, ability to invoke an emotional response in the viewer. Citing examples gleaned from a study of history--the Ancient Greeks' Golden Ru≤ Fibonacci's mathematical ratio; and the principles known as the Gestalt theory--the author analyzes the concepts, rules, and guidelines that define successful composition in photography and offers practical guidance to achieving great results. In clear, concise, and jargon-free text he also considers the role of tone and color in good composition, and offers invaluable tips and the tools to help the photographer take control of the creative process. The book is illustrated with examples of the author's own beautiful nature photography, along with diagrams and notation to explain techniques most clearly. A final chapter in this definitive guide for all serious photographers discusses photography and its relationship to art before offering a considered conclusion to the exploration of this fascinating topic.