Особливості та локації фотозйомок на території парку.
У величезному, найбагатшому парку понад сто пам'ятних локацій. Багато локації пов'язані з героями і богами античності. Формат фототура передбачає не тільки відпочинок, а й участь в майстер-класі під відкритим небом. Керівник фототура - Костянтин Сова. Протягом дня фотографи зможуть отримати практичні навички репортажної і жанрової зйомки, зйомки пейзажу і архітектури, портрета.
- Тарпейська скеля
- Венеціанський місток
- Женевське озеро і фонтан Змія
- павільйон Флори
- Площа зборів
- Грот страху і сумнівів
- Долина циклопів
- Підземна річка
Introduction: What is Composition?
Today we will talk about the science of composition. Composition addresses photography’s greatest challenge. Reality is warm, fragrant, tender, and charming. When we click the shutter, it becomes a flat surface of spots. We want the viewer to still see the reality. Our viewers are sober adults; they are not fooled easily. But they look at spots and believe it is reality. They laugh, cry, and want to pay money. If this happens, your composition was convincing. Composition is rules for talking to the viewer. Reality turns flat, but we still want influence. Remember, we are the first viewers of our own photos.
Homework Review: Lenses and Background
Let's look at your homework assignments now. These tasks focused on wide-angle and portrait lenses.
Look at this image; the student used the exposure triangle. That is nice, but we need the lens type used. This handsome subject likely used a wide angle lens. Maybe 35mm was the focal length. The next photo likely used a portrait lens. Please correct me if I am wrong here.
The student says the wide angle was used later. Wide lenses can distort the subject. Look at the enlarged ears in the first photo. To really show distortion, get very close. Approach the model as close as the lens allows. You will then see strong perspective distortions.
Think of a mobile phone camera example. Shooting from above gives a big head and small body. Shooting from below gives big hands and a small head. This change in proportion is distortion. Each assignment should remind us of a vital idea.
Beginners often make six main mistakes. One mistake is using the wrong lens for the genre. Another is ignoring the background location. The background should enhance your model. Think of location as the model's dress. A good dress enhances the person wearing it.
The technical assignment required quick wide-angle and portrait shots. But was this location ideal? No. I dislike the "trash sky" with no texture. There is also some strange pipe sticking up. You must find a good location first. You will understand a "good location" after this lesson.
We must consciously choose the correct lens. Use online simulators to see lens effects. Sam Yang is one lens manufacturer with a simulator. This shows how focal length and aperture change the image. Focus distance (F-stop and millimeters) is key. Mobile phones have tiny focal distances, maybe 5mm. Why do mobile phone photos not show strong distortion? Software corrects these lens distortions automatically.
A wide aperture (e.g., f/1.2) creates artistic blurring (bokeh). This blurring hides distracting backgrounds. If the location is interesting, close the aperture. Closing the aperture makes the good background visible. Play with these settings at home.
If a girl’s face is distorted, it might be more unpleasant. Boys often seem less bothered by distortion. They appear confident and happy either way.
The Location is Primary (Compositional Muscle)
Always look at the location behind the subject first. This is very important compositional behavior. This "muscle" needs to be constantly trained. Beginners usually lack this crucial muscle. Advenced photographers already look behind the model. They check if "horns" are growing out of the model’s head.
In the homework, a background item seems to be sprouting. This distraction is a clear beginner mistake. I am happy you made this mistake now. Now the whole group learns how to fix it. Do not hide your mistakes; show them. My photography mentor said mistakes are golden plates. They lead the photographer to mastery.
Six Ways to Solve Background Clutter:
- Change the angle: Shoot from the left, right, or center. A symmetrical face looks good centered. Change the angle to make the "horns" disappear.
- Change the location: Take the person elsewhere. This is the easiest solution.
- Wide aperture: Open the aperture greatly. This creates strong, shallow depth of field. Buy a fast lens, like a Sigma 56mm f/1.4. Sigma lenses are often much cheaper than brand lenses.
- Remove the clutter: If possible, physically remove distracting background trash.
- Tight cropping: Move closer to the model. Crop the background out using the frame itself.
- Post-processing: Edit the photo using software. Google Photos has cropping tools. This allows non-destructive editing.
Focal Length and Perspective Compression
Look at this example: 18mm versus 135mm lenses. The faces are almost the same. The difference is the background environment. The park background is clearly visible at 18mm. At 135mm, the background is compressed. The model is pulled right up against it.
Long focal lengths (135mm, 200mm) compress the scene. They bring far-off backgrounds closer to the subject. This is a very interesting technique.
Example: Bense Mate's Drama
Bensman used a 200mm lens for this shot. It seems the snake and hummingbird are fighting. But they actually cannot see each other. The long lens compressed the front and back planes. He closed the aperture (f/8 or f/11) for depth of field. This creates conflict and drama.
Using Wide Angle for Portraits
You can take a good portrait with a wide-angle lens. Rule one: if the model is beautiful, nothing spoils it. If the person is confident, any lens works. Even a mobile phone, close-up, will be fine. You might get a big nose, but so what.
If you position the model centrally and step back. Even 18mm wide angle shows little distortion. Distortion is usually strongest at the corners.
Wide-angle has advantages if the background is good. It acts like a charismatic "dress" for the model. If the surroundings are boring, use telephoto lenses. Telephoto lenses blur the background strongly.
Every lens has advantages and disadvantages. Wide angle captures lots of surroundings. This can benefit the model. Wide angle can also distort ideal human proportions. Renaissance artists found math in the human body. The head fits seven times into the body's length. The navel is the center point. We are based on very precise mathematics.
Generally, avoid wide angle for people. Large legs and small heads mean no money. The model might even reprimand you.
Creative Rule Breaking
However, many situations demand a wide angle. It gives an unusual picture. Compositional Rule 1: There are many rules. We must learn to break all rules creatively. There are no real rules, just principles. Principles usually help, but break them for unusual results.
Look at Nadine Ever’s work. Her models are confident people. She distorts them powerfully. Look at the huge foot in this image. Look at the giant hand in the next one. If it is a glove advertisement, she succeeded. Another image shows a supporting "giant mother". The other person becomes part of the environment.
Fashion photography needs to shock the viewer. It uses wide angle lenses against their typical purpose. Compositional Rule: Differentiate or Die. Why should people look at your photos?. If you shoot like everyone else, they will not look. Look at the fish-eye lens image (8mm). They look like cute cartoon characters. Nick Knight also uses wide angle strangely. The girl looks like an alien.
Objects and Animals
A 55mm lens is quite normal. Normal or standard lenses see like our eye. Distortion primarily affects humans. When we see a disproportionate person, we feel pity. We might assume illness or a difficult childhood. But if you photograph a cat, dog, or doll. We do not care if it is distorted. Look at this cat photo on a mobile phone (5mm). Big tail, small head, but it looks adequate.
The past assignment asked to compare objects. This is useful if you cannot find a model. But wide angle lenses shoot inanimate objects normally. Architecture, still life, and nature are fine. No one notices lens distortion with these subjects.
Cropping for Air and Aesthetic
The model is beautiful in both photos. The background is calmer in the second one. I would cut off the "trash sky" in the first one. You can replace the sky using Photoshop.
You must pay attention to the location. This model lacks "air" around her. If I crop it to a square, it looks better. The square format is very stable. It gives the model a sense of space to breathe. Many beginners frame too tightly. Give the model space; we love air around the subject.
Look at this interesting composition. It is not just about eyes and smiles. A tender, defenseless neck can tell a story. This is Rinko Kawauchi’s style. A portrait presents a person favorably. We want to meet them and say "Hello". Even if a person is blurry, we recognize them. This element still draws attention. Use this attention wisely.
If 55mm and 89mm lenses are used. The difference will not be noticeable with objects. Try comparing a wide-angle mobile photo (5mm). Compare that to a 55mm or 89mm shot. Try to capture the difference.
Composition: The Principles
We are now moving into composition techniques. I study about 300 composition techniques. Today we will cover about 25 to 30 useful techniques.
Techniques are choices that influence the image. You decide what to highlight with your lens. The goal is to be more expressive. We need visual assertion that composition supports.
Lenses as Compositional Tools
Arnold Newman said: Do not shoot portraits with portrait lenses. Portrait lenses exclude the environment. Without context, is the person a maniac or a composer? If you see musical instruments, he is likely not a maniac. This is called Environmental Photography. The location characterizes the model. A wide angle is needed if the environment is expressive.
Focal length is a conscious compositional tool. We use different focal lengths for different images.
The Nature of Reality and Order
Composition involves predicting and ordering reality. Reality is often unbeautiful or unworthy. Beauty appears in the eyes of the photographer. If ten people shoot the same location. Only two might capture a beautiful image. They saw order, intuitively or consciously.
You are all composers already. Your interior design choices are compositional decisions. The restaurants and clothes you choose are composition.
The Seven Notes of Composition
There are seven ways to affect the viewer. Think of seven colors, seven wonders, seven notes. We influence viewers through: Space, Lines, Figures, Form, Texture, Light/Shadow, and Color. Today we focus on Space and the Hero. The full composition course covers much more.
The Billiard Metaphor
Composition rules are not rigid. It’s like playing billiards. You cannot always hit the white ball at 45 degrees. Different situations require different techniques. We must quickly choose the right compositional palette.
The Power of Compositional Choices
Consider this dance masterclass. Everyone had great cameras, light, location, and models. But some students got amazing shots. Others got comical, funny photos. The posing was the same moment in both shots.
What is the difference between these pictures? Two key things: Angle and Focal Length. The good shot used a telephoto lens (70mm). The photographer stepped far back to capture the whole scene. The funny shot used a wide-angle lens. The wide angle caused distortion and included clutter.
Technical Choices are Compositional
All technical settings are compositional choices. The exposure triangle is part of composition. Fast shutter speed freezes movement. Long shutter speed blurs the subject completely. Long exposure can create artistic effects. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and grain add artistry. Ask yourself: What artistic effects come from this setting?
The Viewer's Questions
The viewer asks: Who, Where, and What emotion? All 300 composition techniques fit into three suitcases.
- Scene/Background (Where): 100 techniques about the frame's stage.
- Hero (Who): 100 techniques to highlight the hero.
- Emotion/Aesthetics (What): 100 techniques for mood and beauty.
The Theater Stage Metaphor
Think of the frame as a theater stage. You have seen these concepts in the theater. I am just reminding you they are intentional choices.
Formats
The frame can have different formats. Vertical format is usually for people (portrait). Horizontal format is usually for inanimate objects (nature, architecture). This is a loose rule, as homework showed.
16:9 format is dynamic and panoramic. We must move our eyes left and right. This movement makes the photo dynamic. Dynamics or statics convey all emotions.
The Square Format
Remember the Ninja Turtles: Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael. They are Renaissance geniuses. They believed the square was a divine shape.
If your subject or location is bad. You can crop the image to a square. Then convert it to black and white. This is partially a joke, but it works. The square format genuinely raises the image aesthetic.
Neuroaesthetics studies what people find beautiful and why. Showing people a square triggers endorphin release. This is the pleasure chemical. Use the square to enhance your image aesthetics.
Instagram started with square photos deliberately. You photograph anything in a square, and you get likes. Famous photographers used square cameras. Hasselblad and Rolleiflex sold 6x6 cm film cameras. Photographers like Francesca Woodman used the square constantly. Contemporary photographer Michael Kenna uses squares. This is a conscious compositional decision.
Conscious vs. Intuitive Decisions
Experienced photographers make conscious choices. They synthesize multiple rules for great photos. Good photos often contain a whole bouquet of techniques. This is why photographers are called photo-artists. Artists make conscious synthesis. They add elements to the canvas to make it interesting. You can turn a simple tree into an abstract fairy.
Hero Placement: Center vs. Thirds
We are predators; our eyes are frontal. We focus on the target, ignoring obstacles. Placing the hero in the center is natural for us. All your homework shots had the hero centered. The lens focuses best in the center. Distortion is minimal in the center.
The Rule of Thirds
Divide the frame into three vertical parts. Divide it into three horizontal parts. The intersections are points of tension or active points. The Rule of Thirds is just one of 300 techniques. It is taught first because beginners overuse the center.
In a film, you will see a mix of center and thirds. Why the mix? It relates to the character’s emotion.
- Center relates to static, reflective, or calm moods.
- Thirds relates to dynamic action or communication.
A character may be dreaming, which is dynamic. Leaving space in the frame allows for their "dreams". This space can also be for wind or music.
Why Thirds are Important
The Rule of Thirds is the simplest way. It helps balance an unbalanced image. A centered image has natural balance. An image with the subject on the left seems unbalanced. The Rule of Thirds points act like visual anchors. They keep the image from falling over. A static hero can still be in the thirds. This works if a heavy object balances them on the other side. Thirds help balance an unbalanced composition.
Application of Thirds
In portraiture, eyes are often placed on the upper active line. The head or one eye falls on a tension point. If the portrait is cropped closely.
In landscape, the rules are different. If the background is the hero (e.g., strong oaks or stormy sky). Two-thirds of the frame are dedicated to that subject. Ansel Adams often places the horizon on the lower or upper active line. He leaves two-thirds for his main subjects, the rocks.
Remember: There are no composition rules. Michael Kenna, for instance, breaks the horizon rule. He places the horizon line exactly in the center.
Michael Kenna’s Bouquet of Techniques (6 Points):
- Minimalist/Simplified locations: Only one to three grouped objects.
- Square format.
- Centered horizon line: Creates stability.
- Black and white (Monochrome).
- Long exposure: Often taken at dusk (e.g., 5 seconds).
- Long exposure effects: Water blurs to jelly; boats tremble.
Kenna consciously moves his work toward non-documentary art. He wants ordinary objects to suggest deeper meaning.
The Scene Without a Hero
The background or scene can be expressive alone. Here is an empirical rule: If a location is good enough to photograph as a beautiful landscape. If you would print it and hang it at home. Then it is a good location for a portrait. It acts as a great wardrobe for your model. It turns the person from Cinderella into a princess.
Our brain reacts strongly to simple compositional cues. Symmetry, rhythm, repetition, simple geometry. Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and S-shaped lines. S-shaped lines are what we get from nature.
These elements (symmetry, rhythm, etc.) release endorphins. We inherited this from our ancestors.
The Pufferfish Example
A male pufferfish wants a strong family. He spends a week making a beautiful, symmetrical mandala. This is art, but a storm will ruin it. He starts over again. If he succeeds, he invites a female. She chooses him because his brain can create this art. If he can do this, he can guard their eggs. Nature uses creative activity as a sign of health. Even fish value symmetry unconsciously. We can consciously use symmetry and rhythm.
Properties of Space
Two hundred years ago, space of a canva could be visually complex. Karl Bryullov's painting, The Last Day of Pompeii, is massive. It is 24 square meters of canvas. At that time, people were visually hungry. Such detailed work was captivating. People would discuss it for hours.
Today, we have too much visual information. The trend for the 21st century is simplification and minimalism.
Online art galleries show simple modern photography. Often, just a few elements and a clean background.
Six Ways to Simplify the Frame:
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Add Free Space: This forces us to find good locations. This free space is also called negative space, air, or isolation. I especially like the Japanese term MA. MA means "the great nothing in which the unimportant everything happens". Ancient Eastern artists understood the void. Lao Tzu said we value a building for its emptiness. We value a pot for the void inside. Knowing composition techniques changes how you see. Your perception starts focusing on negative space. Look at the Christ painting. He is in the thirds, surrounded by a circular void. This draws attention to him. This principle changes the photographer's behavior. Our lecturer seeks simplicity at the ocean. Oceans lack buildings and trees. He shoots at 5 AM when the location is empty. He gets emptiness, S-lines, and pastel colors.
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Bokeh (Background Blur): This is what you did in your homework. Blurring the background helps the eye focus. Motion blur (panning) is also visually interesting.
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Monochrome (B&W): This removes color. Why does removing color raise aesthetics? Our brain is expensive; it uses lots of energy. Color vision requires 16 brain centers. Turning off color reduces the brain's effort. If your photo relies on color (flowers, parrots), avoid B&W. Otherwise, B&W simplifies and strengthens the image. Cyanotype is another monochrome technique.
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Fog, Haze, or Darkness: This hides complexity and visual richness. Fog is rare, which makes it aesthetically pleasing. Fog creates mystery and encourages guessing. Fog and darkness can feel dangerous. But when viewing art, we are safe and enjoy the mystery. You can use a smoke machine in a studio.
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Chiaroscuro (Light/Shadow): Caravaggio invented this technique. His idea was like theater lighting. A powerful beam of light follows the hero. We follow the brightest spot. Hide everything unnecessary in the shadows. This requires specific exposure metering. Use Spot Metering. The camera measures the brightest spot only. Alex Webb used this technique deliberately. You can see this effect at home at night. Side light highlights the hero and hides clutter.
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Simplification to Abstraction: Use critical framing. Flat Lay: Shoot critically from above (like a bird). Normal people shoot at eye level. Flat lay is common in food and product photography. It makes ordinary things unusual. Shoot like an Ant: Shoot from extremely low angles. Eliot Erwitt was famous for photographing dogs this way. Differentiate or die. Critical Cropping: Do not shoot the whole building. Focus only on lines and textures. This can simplify the scene to pure geometry. This technique is inspired by Mark Rothko. Critical cropping can win international awards. Studio Background: Use a simple background to isolate the model. Richard Avedon traveled with a large white backdrop. He photographed ordinary, yet extraordinary, Americans.
Depth and Perspective
The viewer expects realism from photography. They want to look into a window of reality. We grant them this reality by using perspective.
Linear Perspective was invented quite late (14th century). Filippo Brunelleschi realized lines converge on the horizon.
Tonal Perspective
Look at Pieter Bruegel’s painting The Fall of Icarus. You can barely see Icarus’s legs. Bruegel was mocking Icarus for flying too high. The heroes are the peasants working the land. They represent the virtue of "tending your own garden".
Let's compare the foreground and background.
- Foreground: Warm, large, sharp, contrasting.
- Background: Cold, small, blurry, desaturated. The front and back planes must differ. This difference creates the illusion of depth.
Scale Perspective
Ai Weiwei uses scale perspective in his work. We see a finger larger than a person. His project, Study of Perspective, is political. He shows authority figures the finger. He argues that the elite no longer serve the people. But for us, it shows scale perspective.
Figure to Ground Ratio: Finding the Hero
We must ensure the viewer instantly understands the hero. If the photo is too busy, it fails (like Where’s Wally). The main subject must clearly differ from the background.
Scale (Proximity)
The simplest solution is to approach the hero closely. Tight cropping isolates the hero. Cindy Sherman used extremely tight cropping.
The Three Divine Contrasts
Scale is not the only differentiator. Remember the Three Divine Contrasts:
- Tonal Contrast: Shoot light against dark or dark against light.
- Color Contrast: Shoot warm colors against cool colors.
- Texture Contrast: Shoot sharp against blurred.
If all three contrasts are present, the photo looks professional.
- Tonal: Light model on a dark background.
- Color: Warm subject (yellow dress) on a cold background (green foliage).
- Texture: Sharp subject on a blurred background (bokeh).
The photographer, Ian Taylor, controlled the wardrobe and location. The contrasts were intentional, not accidental.
Texture Contrast is not just bokeh. Newborn photographers use rough surfaces. A smooth baby is placed on a rough background. This contrast is consciously managed. Fashion photographers do the same thing.
Tonal Contrast Example
The white balloon stands out. Alex Webb uses this: a dark figure on a bright background.
Color Contrast Example
Which ball is the subject here? The red one. This is because it is the single, non-matching color. Alex Webb actively seeks bright color spots on the street.
Framing (Framer within a Frame)
Framing is a simple and reliable way to highlight the hero.
Reflections are a powerful type of framing. Helmut Newton, Vivian Maier, and Alex Webb used mirrors. If Alex Webb sees a mirror, he stops to take a picture. You must create a shot using a mirror. It is an obligatory step for developing your photography. Look for windows, arches, or plant pergolas. Use your own hands to frame the subject.
Conclusion and Assignment
We covered many important, effective ideas today. I will be satisfied if you remember these five rules:
- Focus on the background first, then the hero. Practice this muscular reflex every day.
- Separate the hero from the background. Use the Three Divine Contrasts.
- Give the hero air and balance. Use the Rule of Thirds.
- Use perspective to simulate depth of field.
These principles are shown because beginners typically do not use them. More experienced students already focus on these things.
Homework Assignment:
I expect two creative shots from your talented group.
- Hero in the Rule of Thirds: The main subject must be in the thirds. Use the Three Divine Contrasts in this image. This means bright against dark, warm against cold, and sharp against blurred.
- Hero with Linear Perspective: Place your hero against linear perspective. You can find linear perspective easily in the city. Look for long avenues, bridges, or lengthy buildings.
Thank you for your attention. I hope you found this as interesting as I did. I will upload the recording soon. You will find new ideas when you review it later. You can find me on Facebook for post-course support. Goodbye, and thank you all.