photography and composition notes
what makes a good photograph;
photos that stand out from the crowd usually have three elements in common;
good subject
good lighting
good composition
moving images: establishing shot; a shot taken from a distance- used to help the audience get an idea of the scene- location, time etc often used at the beginning of a scene.
where is the action taking place? when might it be used? and why is it used and how does it create meaning?
shot types;
long shot: a shot taken well back from the subject, it its of a person, the shot will show the whole body. to queue questions about information it gives about a characters actions/appearance and when and why is might be used and how does it create meaning?
mid shot: a shot of a person to just below the waist or elbows and is used to single a person out within a shot and draw the audiences attention to them.
close up: a shot which shows the whole of the face( or specific body part) but no other part of the body
low angle: a shot where the camera is placed below the subject to show superiority and create a sense of powerfulness.
high angle: a shot where the camera is placed above the subject to show vulnerability, inferiority towards the character.
two shot: a shot with two characters in it- used to establish the relationship between the characters. to show a sense of togetherness
o/s over shoulder shot: used a lot in film, a shot taken of one person from over the shoulder of another when the two are face to face.
straight on/ eye level/eyeline: when the camera is positioned at eye level to the action
over angle/ birds eye shot/helicopter shot: an extremely high angle- when the camera is fully above or nearly above the action
under angle/worms eye view: an extreme low angle- when the camera is fully below or nearly below the action.
canted angle/ dutch angle/oblique angle: when the camera is turned side on and the subject is no longer vertical.
composition/framing:
camera racking: pull focus to show multiple things in a frame
rule of thirds: centre of interest; a photograph should have a strong focal point. determine what is is before composing your photo.
simplicity: keep compositions simple, avoid busy background that distracts from a subject
subject off centre: place a subject slightly off- centre rather than in the middle of a photo
divide your frame into 9 equal parts by creating a grid of your shot at any of the four points where lines of the grid converge.some digital camera come with an option to place a grid over the LCD view which helps with your composition skills.
leading lines: if a scene has strong lines, make sure the lines lead the eye into the frame rather than out of it. the lines should lead to the main point of interest.
viewpoint/angles: vary angles: shoot at varying angles to capture a subject from a different viewpoint. move the camera higher or lower than you usually do. for a dramatic effect, take some photos from a birds eye view( looking down) or worms eye view (looking up)
lighting: dramatic lighting adds interest to a photo, silhouttes; subject made dark by photographing it against a light background( back lighting)
3 point lighting: key light, fill light (50-75%) and back light
back lighting is the effect used to make someone look angelic or superior.
underlighting can make someone look quite grotesque. chiaroscuro- in which harsh lighting creates contrast between areas of light and shade; used extensively in film noir, as well as in many horror films.
framing and composition:
framing: framing a subject by zooming or moving closer draws attention to it.
symmetry:an identical or near identical image of its other half, use of this often provides a formal balance.
photos that stand out from the crowd usually have three elements in common;
good subject
good lighting
good composition
moving images: establishing shot; a shot taken from a distance- used to help the audience get an idea of the scene- location, time etc often used at the beginning of a scene.
where is the action taking place? when might it be used? and why is it used and how does it create meaning?
shot types;
long shot: a shot taken well back from the subject, it its of a person, the shot will show the whole body. to queue questions about information it gives about a characters actions/appearance and when and why is might be used and how does it create meaning?
mid shot: a shot of a person to just below the waist or elbows and is used to single a person out within a shot and draw the audiences attention to them.
close up: a shot which shows the whole of the face( or specific body part) but no other part of the body
low angle: a shot where the camera is placed below the subject to show superiority and create a sense of powerfulness.
high angle: a shot where the camera is placed above the subject to show vulnerability, inferiority towards the character.
two shot: a shot with two characters in it- used to establish the relationship between the characters. to show a sense of togetherness
o/s over shoulder shot: used a lot in film, a shot taken of one person from over the shoulder of another when the two are face to face.
straight on/ eye level/eyeline: when the camera is positioned at eye level to the action
over angle/ birds eye shot/helicopter shot: an extremely high angle- when the camera is fully above or nearly above the action
under angle/worms eye view: an extreme low angle- when the camera is fully below or nearly below the action.
canted angle/ dutch angle/oblique angle: when the camera is turned side on and the subject is no longer vertical.
composition/framing:
camera racking: pull focus to show multiple things in a frame
rule of thirds: centre of interest; a photograph should have a strong focal point. determine what is is before composing your photo.
simplicity: keep compositions simple, avoid busy background that distracts from a subject
subject off centre: place a subject slightly off- centre rather than in the middle of a photo
divide your frame into 9 equal parts by creating a grid of your shot at any of the four points where lines of the grid converge.some digital camera come with an option to place a grid over the LCD view which helps with your composition skills.
leading lines: if a scene has strong lines, make sure the lines lead the eye into the frame rather than out of it. the lines should lead to the main point of interest.
viewpoint/angles: vary angles: shoot at varying angles to capture a subject from a different viewpoint. move the camera higher or lower than you usually do. for a dramatic effect, take some photos from a birds eye view( looking down) or worms eye view (looking up)
lighting: dramatic lighting adds interest to a photo, silhouttes; subject made dark by photographing it against a light background( back lighting)
3 point lighting: key light, fill light (50-75%) and back light
back lighting is the effect used to make someone look angelic or superior.
underlighting can make someone look quite grotesque. chiaroscuro- in which harsh lighting creates contrast between areas of light and shade; used extensively in film noir, as well as in many horror films.
framing and composition:
framing: framing a subject by zooming or moving closer draws attention to it.
symmetry:an identical or near identical image of its other half, use of this often provides a formal balance.
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