tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30222141387737885392024-03-14T00:06:46.956-04:00A.E.Amador's Photography BlogSharing with you my photography experience.Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-10850608256279252082012-01-09T21:02:00.004-05:002012-01-09T21:32:59.776-05:00Bold, Simple, Daring, and Flawless.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8zAa9GkxqE-K6n4nrCb3rV9pdWI7eEWoIIyQu-N0f7VNekNI9s6OWs9uNQiOeHyd7nGx4is2gsKv8EafMa6H3RaQuXVnWLCpgLZE0BcqrQL6HY64QzINnON3RrPX9HoglmLoexKEQIk/s1600/Wall-Layout.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8zAa9GkxqE-K6n4nrCb3rV9pdWI7eEWoIIyQu-N0f7VNekNI9s6OWs9uNQiOeHyd7nGx4is2gsKv8EafMa6H3RaQuXVnWLCpgLZE0BcqrQL6HY64QzINnON3RrPX9HoglmLoexKEQIk/s400/Wall-Layout.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695818921280616002" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Cylburn Arboretum's First Photo Walkers Exhibition.</b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Back in June 2011 I began leading the Cylburn Photo Walks, with absolutely no idea of what to expect. I had never lead a photo walk before, nor attended anything resembling one. My photography is a very intimate encounter, with nature, with places, with the mood of the day. It's, as that commercial of recent, "me time." So how in the World could I lead something I wouldn't even consider for myself? My participants answered that. By listening to what I had to say, by putting into practice the brought out concepts, by <i>being there</i>. Though it is true that most participants did not return after the first Walk, a group of wonderful and highly talented individuals endured and made me believe that, after all, there was a value in sharing the photographic process.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">We opened a Flickr account in order to share each other's best shots, and that's when the true artistry began to reveal. From Sue Patz's tactile Dahlia in black and white ("Susan's Favorite"), to Tim Davis's gorgeous-bokeh Hosta ("Summer Belle"), I knew I was dealing with a good combination of technical proficiency, photographic eye and great art sensibilities. I knew it was all worthwhile and even with the low attendance the great quality was outweighing the lack of participants. And it has payed off; in a short time I knew I had enough material for showing a contemporary exhibition of quality photography, second to none.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Bold, Simple, Daring and Flawless; my message along the journey. Be clear in your intention, remove what you don't need, try one different angle and make sure you get the basics right. I believe our first Cylburn Photo Walkers exhibition "Natural Exposures" represents these principles, whether as a whole, or as close-up inspection of individual works. Boldness in shapes, or color; simplicity in subject matter, or topic; audacity in composition, or focus; all in all: perfection in print!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Now I've come to see the value of group work and proof once again that great things in life are achieved when joining strengths, talents and sharing some "me times" once in a while. This January 13 is "our time." Congratulations to all!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i><b>"Natural Exposures: Cylburn by Photo Walkers"</b> will take place from January 13 through February 24, 2012, at the Cylburn Arboretum Vollmer Center. Opening gala on January 13 at 6 p.m.</i></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i><br /></i></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><i>To view the wonderful works of this exhibition, please visit my photo website www.aeamador.com.</i></p></span></span></div>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-68194709646573603512011-09-19T14:47:00.007-04:002011-09-23T15:39:06.316-04:00Getting Artistic, Pt. 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduFlqQOhVp9YLZNMCyF8P3i8iAEFz9LlC8NRgfqBad2UyzdrhidiD6RiLeqjLypKvlSK3sL7aHD7gw86gQvOxQ6FZU3ObLeyJ7HTTTg8OHCORul8YHf0Qt0W6HxCEqeyAOjRTsdxH5cY/s1600/amador-pritchardia24-23x26-FIN.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 245px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduFlqQOhVp9YLZNMCyF8P3i8iAEFz9LlC8NRgfqBad2UyzdrhidiD6RiLeqjLypKvlSK3sL7aHD7gw86gQvOxQ6FZU3ObLeyJ7HTTTg8OHCORul8YHf0Qt0W6HxCEqeyAOjRTsdxH5cY/s320/amador-pritchardia24-23x26-FIN.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655639962685048962" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">By Antonio E. Amador (©2011).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Just before photography, a painter's basic was to be able to recreate reality, be able to paint a realistic human face, body, landscape, buildings and any other subject out there. A good painter could do so with impact, with beauty, with drama, or with marked personal style; but the basic skill was to master the <i>realism</i>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">So what happened when photography came around in the 19th century? For once, painting turned to anything else but <i>realist</i>; welcome the birth of <i>modern art</i>. Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism are just some of the most notorious movements or styles that developed in the visual arts. Unable to compete with the realism of photography, painting turned into an expression of all sorts of fancy and personal interpretations; it became subjective.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">As photography matured, past the technical proficiency <i>á la</i> Ansel Adams, and all technical proficiency required to do a good documentary, objective image (let's call that the "craft and science of photography"), the photographer that intends to do art, must not let his art be dictated by the subject, but by his own way of portraying that subject. In other words, art is never about the portrayed object, but about the artist.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">So how do we do this? I believe one good way to do this is to simply stray away from photography's nature of capturing the real world, and use the camera to capture an emotion, portray an idea, communicate our-<i>self</i>. Get in close, go for a detail; find a pattern, of forms, or colors; go for interesting lighting; interesting light-shadow play-contrast; a texture; use an unusual perspective; use post-production and alter the reality; change the hue, control the color palette, control the softness, sharpness or focus points. I outline some of these tips in more detail below.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Of course, before we can say we are making art, we have to find our own voice, identify our themes and develop a style accordingly. What you enjoy photographing right now points to the above questions, and the kind of photographs you like the most point to your style. Now it's a matter a making a conscious choice, and start narrowing down your options and concentrate on what represents you the most. It is the sign of artistic maturity and it help people pinpoint you as an artist.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>1. Unusual Point of View.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Move behind, to the side, see it against different backgrounds. Make it not so obvious to the viewer. Remember, it is not anymore about identifying a subject, but about what interesting forms, shapes, colors we can come about in a way that would elicit a response, or an emotion.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>2. Get REALLY Close; Show the Unseen.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Flowers and other natural objects offer a wonderful new world when you move in close enough. Focus on that that the naked eye usually don't see. A true macro lens helps tremendously here. Find forms, shapes, interesting compositions in the little world of close up photography.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>3. Creative Focusing, Depth of Field and Bokeh.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Don't be afraid to explore the extremes of focusing; a totally blurred world can be beautifully cut by a sharp subject in the scene. Again, a macro lens can help lots; as well as long telephoto with fast aperture or other lens with a wide aperture. See for interesting out of focus lines or shapes in the background; it can create some of the most breathtaking images. Bokeh photography (that is, photography where bokeh is an integral part of the image) can reward with beautiful and inspiring photography.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>4. Creative Direct Lighting for interesting Tone Differentiation.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Go for the moment, or the extreme, or the contrast relationships. Lighting can create the drama you may be looking for; can create bold contrast or simply soft expression. Morning and evening low and warm light con provide good opportunities to exploring direct lighting; or in the lack of, you use artificial devices, like a flash, or a flashlight (preferably LED, for a cooler light closer to outdoor light).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>5. Control the Color Palette.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">As our work matures, we will want to control more and more of the elements in the frame and start removing more and more unwanted elements. Colors are very powerful, thus they should be used wisely and carefully. First, do not include too many colors in a scene; a good photograph has usually one dominant color and possibly up to two supporting ones.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>6. Work Hard on Finding the Perfect Shot.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">The art in photography may just be in how selective and consistent you are in what you decide to photograph. Many times, nature and the world do present us with great forms, colors, textures, lighting, that couldn't get any better if imagined by an artist. Part of our art is to simply recognize such opportunities (that is, have sharp artistic <i>sensibilities</i>) and execute in a way that portrays our vision and style. When we do this consistently, we are indeed creating <i>art</i>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>7. Post-Processing (Digital) Treatment.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">This is where it actually gets fun. Change color, over-blow highlights, alter clarity, turn to black and white, you name it. With today's digital capabilities, a picture does not end anymore when the shutter is released, but that's only half of the story. When getting artistic, the computer has given us a world of possibilities to develop our artistic style and put our vision in concrete.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Happy Shooting!!</p></span></div>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-72200066061989933592011-08-10T19:21:00.008-04:002011-08-10T19:38:01.657-04:00Guidelines for Good Flower Photography, Pt. 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeUsyvqzjcxlnA9NH56XBmlAEauWqUHCXz6cmhM6NyZri4tTZQ_iRqkDW_Zbmcg-dq0cKCILBsN9e9uYkBpoRmi_Jjsepqrwo2i0dCwii3FTwTrIqpbvI8VucwcDmQOCignqg9UYtvrQ/s1600/AEAmador-Blog-0077.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdeUsyvqzjcxlnA9NH56XBmlAEauWqUHCXz6cmhM6NyZri4tTZQ_iRqkDW_Zbmcg-dq0cKCILBsN9e9uYkBpoRmi_Jjsepqrwo2i0dCwii3FTwTrIqpbvI8VucwcDmQOCignqg9UYtvrQ/s320/AEAmador-Blog-0077.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639374858423719810" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p style="font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">By Antonio E. (Tony) Amador, @2011</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Continuing with our description of those elements that make good flower, garden, nature photography, let's delve a bit deeper into those that separate outstanding work from day to day shots.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>1. Back-light and Side-light on Sunny Days.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">When the sun hits, move behind subjects for a whole new world of possibilities. Tree leaves show their beautiful color and venation; flowers acquire a translucent quality; "hairy" or "fuzzy" specimens acquire a beautiful halo.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Another great use for direct light is side lighting. Textured subjects, like old tree trunks, show punch and drama.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">While soft overcast days, or open shade shooting, do provide very pleasant conditions for overall flower and close-up photography, direct sunlit days bring wonderful opportunities for eye-catching, <i>WOW</i> type of pictures. Just don't give your back to the sun!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>2. Tame those Harsh Shadows.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Sometimes we have no choice but to shoot front lit in harsh direct sunlight. For these cases, the handiest fix is your camera flash (fill flash). While you may not end with a contest winner, at least you will have the shot with relatively decent quality, perfect for documentary purposes, and even your own portfolio.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">You may also resort to the use of a diffuser to block the harsh sun, or a reflector to fill in shadows, just like the fill flash does. An assistant is helpful for such situations.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Oh, and never underestimate the usefulness of your own body as a light blocker; just stand on the way of the sun and shoot your subject with shaded uniform light. Wear a white shirt; it may help to fill in shadows when close to the subject.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>3. Depth of Field Control for Beautiful Bokeh</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">One of the best tools you have to control background and thus differentiate your subject, is your ability to control depth of field (how much is in focus in the background) using your different aperture settings. The wider the aperture, the longer the lens (focal length) and the longer the distance from subject to background, the more ability to create beautiful <i>bokeh</i>. Bokeh refers to the unfocused parts of a picture, usually the background. Beautiful bokeh is as defining of a good picture as the subject itself, so have it very present when shooting, especially with delicate subjects like flowers.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>4. A Macro Lens takes you to Another Level.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Not only will you be able to get really close, or fill the frame with very small specimens, with a macro lens you will gain much control on where you place your focus point, which is sometimes the difference between an <i>okay</i> shot and a perfect shot. This kind of control is hard to get with the macro feature of any point-and-shoot camera.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Remember, when shooting close-up, especially macro, even the slightest movement will affect the focus point or the photo's sharpness, so make sure you assume a comfortable posture, and keep the steadiest hand you can while keeping a close eye on the focus point. Hold your breath and click gently. Raise you ISO if you feel you need to; it's much better a grainy sharp focus than a blurry low grain one.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">A macro lens will let you get into the realm of abstract photography as well; see how artistic you can get when emphasizing a tiny detail or part of a subject.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>5. Exert More Control over the Scene.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Why not carry a small misting bottle for adding droplets to flowers or leaves for a nice touch on an otherwise common shot? Usually, the more you spray, the larger the droplets. Be ready to remove debris, spider webs and anything that may distract from the main subject or subtract from its beauty. Sometimes it's useful to carry a utility knife or similar tool to get where your fingers cannot, or should not. A set of garden clippers can also be helpful in removing those unwanted dead stems or twigs.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Bring an assistant, and have him/her hold a black or white card behind your subject for instant studio background. He may also hold a white card to fill in shadow areas. This same assistant can probably hold an off camera light source, like a flash, for more controlled lighting, or small lantern for particular or peculiar effects. Or just bring a couple of light stands to hold any off-camera lighting, reflector cards or backdrop.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">The more you control the scene, the more professional your shot is going to look.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>6. Use a Tripod when you Really Need it.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">At some point you may require to shoot with a longer depth of field and low ISO requiring a slower shutter speed than your hand steadiness will allow you. That's when you will need a tripod. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">A tripod will also let you concentrate on the composition and the elements of the frame in a more meticulous way, gain more depth of field, and may even give you the free hand necessary for other uses like holding an external light or a reflector. Think of it as a tool for your more formal, commercial, or trophy shots: those that require special attention. So bring it when you already know what you're shooting.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Oh, and be patient, as you still have to wait for the wind to calm before shooting at slow speeds with a tripod; your subject has to be as steady as your camera.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>7. Know Your Subjects.</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Learn the species name. Learn its blooming time. Maybe learn about its origin. Not only will you become a better photographer and a more educated person, you will also have an easier time when titling, captioning or keywording your image for online publishing.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Keep shooting beauty!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px">
<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="font-size: medium; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></p></span></div>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-19951818299222653982011-07-21T15:02:00.012-04:002011-09-19T16:22:50.155-04:00Guidelines for Good Flower Photography<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkagPvf6MA1WulQ9syWp17r9BjKifED5NSdc3VRdHCg7ShyphenhyphenilcJtVGfUubcCwSymcIg9cO3s6DIecai4fU-QPX8mpMaHTrbmut1OVTsD5Kka0F4JChxFSMkXJEeg5ILsgye_jE0jptxQA/s1600/+%2528AEAmador%2529-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkagPvf6MA1WulQ9syWp17r9BjKifED5NSdc3VRdHCg7ShyphenhyphenilcJtVGfUubcCwSymcIg9cO3s6DIecai4fU-QPX8mpMaHTrbmut1OVTsD5Kka0F4JChxFSMkXJEeg5ILsgye_jE0jptxQA/s320/+%2528AEAmador%2529-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634430583654591650" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-olWZF9FCCvOjq0vbT7AFMqkDsF1FlqrHOaqVdQQMfs5x3fkRa6S-HvQEyKw7-or4Cs7dUwxlm3qJ4TV7BHH817hf0doBf2ofyVSrTLyujAyHReezFNC_b2f_wKknJH8N9XTifgxllDg/s1600/_DSC0162-AEAmador.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span><span></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold; font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">By Antonio E. Amador (©2011, All Rights Reserved).</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:100%;"><b><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Besides the 10 Basic Elements of a Good Photograph there are more specific guidelines for great flower, garden or botanical photography. These are very basic elements, as further down we'll get deepen in some of these aspects as well as present new ones.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>1. Overcast Days are The Best.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Since most of flower photography has to do with close-ups, there is no use for nice blue skies, which usually come with sunny days. Direct sun on flowers create rather unappealing contrast, with possible loss on highlights as well as shadows. Shadow areas may also acquire the blue cast of the sky above. The great soft box that overcast days create provides even, unchanging light that's very pleasant, neutral, and actually brings out the best color and saturation of subjects. With such light, the photographer can concentrate on so many other important variables rather than dealing with changing sun light and sudden sun blocking cloud shade that are common on such days. Also, overcast days will provide you with sufficient light levels during most of the day for your shooting, while waiting for very early or evening shooting for this light may lower considerably the amount of light for comfortable work.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">As an alternative, find subjects in open shadow (any shade area) which is usually fed by the blue sky-atmosphere light or reflected light from other surfaces. There are, for sure, great opportunities for sunny days, in many cases for higher impact and contraster images; nevertheless it requires much more care, and certainly more sweat!</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>2. Wind is Your Enemy.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">One of the marks of substandard photography is motion blur, whether from you hand shake, or from subject movement. If the wind is hitting foliage, you will most likely get blurry images that won't look good when magnified. You may spot easily the blurriness of a flower or leaf in a close-up, but a more elusive one is that of entire trees (moving leaves) due to wind moving it's leaves.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Breezy days make your shooting harder and demands time and energy that could otherwise be invested in more exploration and experimentation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">So, on windy days, wear your patience shirt, or else, leave your camera at home and go for the stroll (it's good every once in a while).</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>3. Shoot Handheld for Mobility.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">When out in a garden, there is a great amount of possible shots awaiting that demand mobility and agility from the photographer. During regular day hours, the amount of light should be enough to be able to hand hold your camera and get sharp pictures. A tripod will multiply your work time, limit your choices and experimentation, and may anyway be useless under breezy conditions.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">There is, of course, a place and a case for a tripod, but unless you know why, do without.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>4. Pick the Best Specimen for the Job</b>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Flowers have a peak bloom time, its prime, which will make your photograph a much better one. It will look new, fresh, radiant; petals silky, pollen abundant, strong fragrance, bees all busy!</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">And conversely watch for the competing flower; one that is too close or positioned in a way that dilutes the attention from the main one. Make sure your pick is favored by the composition.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>5. Control the Background.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Great flower photography is usually characterized by its relationship with the background. Garden photographers are usually so mesmerized by the beauty of the subject that they pay little attention to its background. Adding to this, in terms background focus, what you see in your camera's viewfinder is usually not what you get. This is due to the fact that your DSLR camera's aperture idle aperture is the widest, which produces the softest backgrounds. Even after successfully defocusing a background there may still be distracting elements that may need physical removing, blocking or choice of a different angle. Overall, you should be looking for good subject definition or differentiation against its background. Other ways that a good background can be are darker or lighter (tone), different color, different texture or pattern, different saturation, distance, among others.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>6. Pick the Right Focus Point.</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">There is always a natural or sweet spot for placing the focus in a given angle or composition. It is either determined by the physical characteristics of the subject (e.g. a flower's filament/anthers on frontal or semi-frontal angles) or the natural line movement or balance point according to the chosen composition. The important thing is to get this focus point right. Most times than not, this will actually fall within the center region of the frame, which is where people's more naturally tend to look while viewing a picture. Of course, if you are shooting with a long depth of field, most of the subject's element may be in sharp focus. This principle also applies for flower bed shots, where you should always pick one good flower from the rest to place your focus on.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>7. Get in There, Fill the Frame!</b></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">You don't need to show the entire flower to tell the story. Sometimes a flower is about its color transitions, its texture, its peculiar curls, its majestic filaments and anthers. Even when a flower or leaf have an interesting silhouette, it can probably be captured by a tiny, representative part of it; and edge, its curves. In trying to include the entire specimen in the frame we may lose impact as well as risk getting more competing elements in sight. So in short, be daring, be bold... competition is tough!</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Happy Shooting!</p></div><div><br /></div></b></span></span></div></span>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-65202306135094372152010-02-28T19:15:00.018-05:002010-03-02T16:23:19.225-05:00Details for a Great Postcard Photo. Part 1.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Truly great postcard photos don't come right out of the camera. They are built with the aid of the computer. Starting with a photograph that satisfies both </span></span><a href="http://aeamador.blogspot.com/2010/02/10-elements-of-good-photograph.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The 10 Basic Elements of a Good Photograph</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and </span></span><a href="http://aeamador.blogspot.com/2010/02/10-elements-of-good-scenic-photo.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The 7 Elements of a Good Scenic Photograph</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, a great postcard photo leaves no elements to chance. This does not mean that in order to get a great postcard picture the scene needs to be staged, but at least the photographer must make the most out of given elements, and even import new ones if necessary later on. This is precisely what is presented in this next picture: one that is not intended to "wow" the viewer, but present a clean flawless representation of a scene that make it worthy of a postcard or similar reproduction.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Below is an image depicting a street scene in Old San Juan, focusing on the architectural idiosyncracy of the place. As you mouseover the image you will be able to see the original untouched image with its annotations for fixing. Included is a list of items to watch for in this and similar images, and how a little Photoshop saves the day.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><br /></span></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(Mouse over image to see original capture)<br /></span></span><div><img onmouseover="Javascript: this.firstsrc= this.getAttribute('src'); this.secondsrc= 'https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMVvNehty_SqT02xavmm4Ug9lckUWNtNYLuOYcNr5c1nFpR7v6yS-dzM391nFP4ZrmmY9kWkfRVxirIDjuw3Exx18l6y1g1q5nX1jKAm_HTW7z-CNZcsiToBj7vQs96IoxBDKSLr6Cd4/s400/Old+San+Juan,+Puerto+Rico+-+aeamador-2.jpg'; this.setAttribute('src',this. secondsrc);" onmouseout="Javascript: this.setAttribute ('src',this.firstsrc);" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgDzKyOWFVMB644PlPwI_dX29StbI_d47b3tsTVW8_d6hhYmD2jgo30K5vHCIzPFugdGG8E_EOXPJ0l_6EkMPIeszt6I_t3g5it8SBzFynLfM4gYGGYekecuHuouKGwfveuKg9t_7Igk/s400/Old+San+Juan,+Puerto+Rico+-+aeamador.jpg" /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1. <b>Thorough clean-up.</b> Depending on the subject, we may want to see spotless paint on buildings, clean whites. He, he... it sounds almost like a fabric detergent commercial, right? But that's just the kind of care a great postcard photo deserves. Also the scene is free of unappealing or non-contributing objects to the intent of the picture. In this picture a security alarm box had been removed, among other objects that do not contribute to the rather intended feel of the scene.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">2. <b>Things on the right place</b>. This means no odd or accidental elements justified because that's the way the were in the scene. If the photographer did not fix it while composing, then better Photoshop it and put those elements in a more scene flattering place. On this scene the charming house number sign that was hardly visible previously has been "moved" to a more flattering location, creating also a more pleasant composition - a triangle for the eye to move around without leaving the frame.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">3. <b>Added elements.</b> This is the glitter and pizzaz. The details that bring the image to another level:</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- Cobblestones added. Sometimes it is hard to find the perfect combination of right light, right subject and right supporting elements on the same scene. We lacked cobblestones streets on the original scene, thus were added to complement the character of the place.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- Neatly lit lamposts. Though they not be lit during the day, it certainly makes for a nice detail.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">- Flowery plants. Flowers always make a better scene.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">4. <b>Life</b><b> - the human element.</b> The right person or model, on the right place can make for an outstanding photograph. In this scene, the red-dressed lady was borrowed from a similar picture out of the many taken on the same place. Thus no model was really necessary, just a little patience, luck and careful eye from the photographer.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So here we had, the little things that make huge changes in the final appreciation of the scene. Next we should look at other examples that further illustrate this point.</span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-family:verdana, serif;font-size:small;">©A.E.Amador. All Rights Reserved.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-family:verdana, serif;font-size:small;">You may see my scenic photography of Puerto Rico and The Caribbean at <a href="http://www.PhotosPR.com/" style="color: rgb(85, 136, 170); text-decoration: none; ">www.PhotosPR.com</a></span></span></span></div></div></div>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-18148737360278150702010-02-10T16:53:00.009-05:002010-02-18T16:10:47.586-05:00The 7 Elements of a Good Scenic Photograph<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErlWeioS-jcTRXkB97oO_wIEFf_sbYICfFdQD0B0njf3E2m1VIARg9_zD6rUVRfjxQl64nQbKZK-szaflhpTN6FDSouLMyGZFowzI0E91qeyvc8tvL7r6jW4HbdGigVSy1_nJwBEg8bM/s1600-h/Gu%C3%A1nica,+Puerto+Rico+-+_DSC0027-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436744116745878610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErlWeioS-jcTRXkB97oO_wIEFf_sbYICfFdQD0B0njf3E2m1VIARg9_zD6rUVRfjxQl64nQbKZK-szaflhpTN6FDSouLMyGZFowzI0E91qeyvc8tvL7r6jW4HbdGigVSy1_nJwBEg8bM/s320/Gu%C3%A1nica,+Puerto+Rico+-+_DSC0027-1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 214px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After applying </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The 10 Basic Elements of a Good Photograph </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(see previous post), we will now consider specific factors in the creation of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">good</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> scenic photographs. Scenic photography is the art of capturing with a camera the beauty of a place, whether natural or urban. This category may also include travel and landscape photography. By </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">good</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> scenic photograph we mean one that would be appropriate for most publications like magazines, travel guides, books, and more. </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Sky is Key.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> One of the first elements that distinguishes good from bad, snapshot from pro-shot is the quality of the sky on a scenic landscape picture. Washed out skies, as well as totally black ones point to substandard quality overall. A happy day sky is solid blue and may have white uniformly scattered clouds. Dramatic moody skies are usually cloudy. A good night picture should still hold some tone in the sky. These are done just before total darkness.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Representative Supporting Elements. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Elements that are common to the place should be emphasized in a scenic photograph, particularly for the travel market. Out of context or unrepresentative elements, while eye catching, may simply cause confusion to the viewer. A tropical beach scene looks solid with a coconut palm tree included; a pine or spruce would do the same to a snowy mountain. </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Framing</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Many good scenic photographs are framed using elements of the scene that, beside acting as supporting elements, direct the attention of the viewer to the main subject. A bed of flowers in the foreground or a prairie picture; part of a cactus on the side of a dessert shot; a palm tree branch from above a beach scene, are all effective ways to frame a picture. These are usually closer to the camera, thus improve the composition by adding spatial contrast to the scene. Sometimes these elements themselves are as important and necessary as the main, broader, subject.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Good Color Saturation.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Tropical waters should look turquoise or aqua; foliage should look healthy green; skies should be deep blue during daytime. Watch out for reflections on surfaces, particularly on foliage and water that desaturate the otherwise rich color. Due to bad lighting, improper exposure and other factors, colors may not look as they appeared in the real scene.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">5. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Straight Horizons, Vertical Columns.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Though not all photographs will include a horizon, there is always an imaginary horizon line that must be leveled. Building photographs should ideally have a corrected vertical perspective, whereas columns or wall edges should be vertical in the frame and not crooked. Though this is mandatory for most architectural work, it certainly elevates de quality of the image when done properly. This rule should be ignored for extreme low-angle shooting or wide-angle effect, as the converging lines may be the intent of the picture.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Control the Elements of the Scene: No Distracting Accidentals, Neat and Clean Look and Simplification.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> A good scenic photograph will have elements that are harmonious or look natural with the scene. Distracting accidentals should therefore not be included in the scene; an unappealing cyclone fence behind a beautiful blooming tree; a delivery truck parked right in front of the entrance of a historic building, etc. The scene should look neat and clean, meaning not only the obvious absence/removal or litter, but the good condition of the elements involved; or the neat blending of objects in relation to the character of the place. It is important also to seek simplification and avoid overall clutter, juxtaposed competing elements and messy or hard to define silhouettes.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Timing.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> In the broader term, a good scenic photograph would have been photographed on the right hour, on the right day and even on the right time of the year. The sun position as well as the climate changes throughout the seasons, making a scene better or worse suited for photography at a particular time. The photograph of the north face of a building on a sunny day during the winter may just be too dark too difficult to balance with the amount of light of the sky above. Timing also refers to the exact moment you click the shutter. A truly effective photograph would have that moving element at the place where a painter would have put it; the perfect surf over the sand; the cyclist at the right place of an empty street scene; flags on a pole, waving fully extended.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So there it is and as mentioned in a previous article, due to photography's nature, it normal for even great photographer to have a rather small percentage of his library follow all of these elements. But the potential and possibility to transform any image is always there, waiting to be done.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next I will discuss the elements of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">great</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> scenic photographs; that is, photographs that have been carefully and masterfully worked for an outstanding result.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">©A.E.Amador. All Rights Reserved.<br />
You may see my scenic photography of Puerto Rico and The Caribbean at </span><a href="http://www.PhotosPR.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.PhotosPR.com</span></a></span></div>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3022214138773788539.post-20430276518517279772010-02-10T15:53:00.001-05:002010-02-13T12:40:30.353-05:00The 10 Basic Elements of a Good Photograph<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDfX_XnVUwX4-4Aq-cHnU6nKntmfD4DjjV3gJDUAKM8dNIfeyKAh5x63DltEEREOgyRBJrQDfGrnCEWdGaBosjbmWa5Oq9mpl-LseoCc4pI-GVWRCjU6MS7UM2SbwTi4VgWwnNLSw308/s1600-h/Old+San+Juan,+Puerto+Rico+-+_DSC0124.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDfX_XnVUwX4-4Aq-cHnU6nKntmfD4DjjV3gJDUAKM8dNIfeyKAh5x63DltEEREOgyRBJrQDfGrnCEWdGaBosjbmWa5Oq9mpl-LseoCc4pI-GVWRCjU6MS7UM2SbwTi4VgWwnNLSw308/s320/Old+San+Juan,+Puerto+Rico+-+_DSC0124.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436742000363561250" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">N</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">ot all pictures are created equal. Just like not all cars, furniture or chocolate are. Since the digital camera began, we have seen a boom in images that have flooded the internet, making it seem there is excess offer. And there is. But just as there are shoes out there, good and bad undistinguishable on a store shelf, so there are photographs on the internet. Once you take a closer look, or try those shoes on, you will find that only a few pass the standard of quality you are seeking. And suddenly you find there is actually a scarcity for the good stuff. This guide should help you develop that critical eye and be more able to unmistakably narrow your choices in your selection or appreciation of photography.<br /><br />A good photographer doesn't just capture what he sees, but actually tries to create a picture; by manipulating or controlling the elements, the angle, timing, equipment, among so many other variables. Today, we have the further advantage of digital manipulation, giving us a powerful tool to express our vision; to portray the scene they way we saw it, experienced it, felt it; or how we want to project it.<br /><br />How would a painter do it? Is perhaps a good question a creative photographer would ask in his mind. A painter has the power of his brush to add, ignore, alter or enhance a scene, even when he may be in front of it, or painting from a reference photograph. He would control every element in order to come up with balance, feeling, and impact. So does a good photographer, albeit with different limitations and challenges. By its very nature, photography lends itself more to the recording of reality, for which reason we cannot expect even the best photographers to have a record of perfect pictures all the time; many pictures will be snapped without major pretensions. Many will be snapped for the relatively easiness of doing so. Nevertheless the good photographer will be able to constantly produce a wealth of quality pictures, that speak of his skills, style and vision; pictures that will outshine the sea of average recordings of reality available out there.<br /><br />Following are the basic elements that must be present in any good photograph, according to my own experience of 20 years in the field. Though they may seem obvious, it is surprising how many fail (oh, I have failed many times) at one or more of these basic concepts. In a future writing I intend to get into the specifics on some or all of these elements.<br /><br />1. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Correct Exposure.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> One of the first things you will notice in a photograph is whether it is dark or light. Though a picture can be low-key (dark tones predominate) or high-key (light tones predominate) there are always indications whether it is under or overexposed. An underexposed picture will have muffled highlights and shadows may be totally black, without any discernible detail. On the other hand an overexposed picture may have grayish shadows and hot or blown out highlights. When a picture has been captured with lack of detail in the shadows or washed out highlights, it becomes impossible to fix later on.<br /><br />2. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Pleasant White Balance.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> This means no unappealing color casts throughout the picture. Clouds should look white, foliage should look green (not cyan or yellow), and skin tones should look reddish (not magenta, not yellow). Exceptions to this rule are color casts purposefully left on the picture, as the reddish light of the late afternoon sun or the bluish light of a snowy morning. Still, most pictures will benefit from a correct or pleasant white balance.<br /><br />3. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">In Focus</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">. A good photograph is in focus and sharp; or at least one of its elements (usually the most important one). The best way to see the focus is by zooming in at 100% and seeing up close its details. Though some soft pictures (slightly out of focus) can be worked up digitally and made usable, bad cases have no fix.<br /><br />4. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Good Contrast and Definition</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">. A good photograph must look crisp and have well defined elements. It is properly sharpened, with controlled noise, and good differentiation between objects and its surroundings. It should be free of apparent artifacts, pixelation, and posterization of tones. Watch out for glowing highlights that point to overall softness. Equipment, optics, camera shake and settings used are factors that have an effect on the quality of the final image.<br /><br />5.</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> Colorful but No Clipping</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">. Blobs of color without any detail or contrast are the result of overly saturating an image. This is called </span></span><span style="font-style:italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">color clipping</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> and is a very common problem, consequence of digital manipulation. A good photograph will have the right amount of color boost without losing any color detail. Check objects of saturated colors up close, like flowers, to spot this flaw. Of course, the smaller the object in the picture the less importance any clipping will have.<br /><br />6.</span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> Proper Lighting.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> A properly lit scene will make a photograph with good highlights and good shadow detail, as well as present the subject in the most flattering way. Overblown highlights or totally black shadows may be a result of poor lighting. While a photographer may not be able to control the natural lighting conditions, he can and has to control the angle, subject, and/or timing in order to achieve a well lit photograph. As a matter of fact, the difference between a good photographer and a snap-shooter is how the former plans for the perfect timing, even when that involves returning to the scene as many times as necessary, while the latter will only photograph the scene as it was accidentally presented to him.<br /><br />7. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Enough Resolution.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> The amount of pixels the photographs has will determine how much it can be enlarged. It is important to point out that not all resolution is equal; a maximum blow-up from a good 10MP DSLR will certainly look far better than the same resolution from a consumer snapshot camera.<br /><br />8. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Good Composition.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> A well composed photograph will look balanced and will lead your eye to the most important element(s) of the frame. The eye should rest within these elements, and should stay within the picture. Other qualities as movement, tension, energy are also key to good images and are a consequence of composition. Watch out for competing elements, ambiguous subject, and disproportionate empty spaces. When in doubt, the "rule of thirds" may aid in judging a picture's composition.<br /><br />9. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Cleaned-Up</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">. A good photograph is clean of dust specs, scratches or any other foreign marks to the picture. Zoom in to the sky area to search for such imperfections.<br /><br />10. </span></span><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">A Strong Subject</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">. Last but certainly not least. The subject photographed must be interesting, or else no one will care to look at the picture. It can be beautiful, it can be big, it can be old, it can be unusual or unique. A waterfall, a skyscraper, an old door, a close up of an insect. Of course, this will depend on the intended audience, as not everybody is interested in a man catching a football, or a cute puppy chewing a shoe. Be also aware that a subject does not necessarily need to be a well defined concrete object but it can also be a color, a texture, a pattern, a shape and even light itself. A picture of an open sea may just be about the color blue, just as a close-up of the bark of a tree may be about texture or patterns.<br /><br />So there they are. Hope this help you gain better insight in the identification of basic good photography. As implied previously, it is actually quite unrealistic to expect all the work of a photographer to comply with this rules, and I am certainly not one of them. Nevertheless it may contribute in the raising of the standard for both image creators and image reviewers. In upcomming posts I will discuss the 10 Elements of a good </span></span><span style="font-style:italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">scenic</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> photo and also those for a </span></span><span style="font-style:italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">great</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> scenic photo. Cheers.<br /><br />©A.E.Amador. All Rights Reserved.<br />You may see my scenic photography of Puerto Rico and The Caribbean at <a href="http://www.PhotosPR.com/">www.PhotosPR.com</a></span></span>Antonio E. Amadorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03352931409091335580noreply@blogger.com0