PHOTOGRAPHY

JOURNALISM

The Basic Rules of Photography

1. Focus on your subject

2. Employ the Rule of Thirds

3. Use lines to draw attention to the subject

4. Frame your subjects

5. Try changing your viewpoint. Change the angle

6. Avoid Mergers!

1. SIMPLICITY

KEEP THE FOCUS ON YOUR SUBJECT –avoid clutter

The cactus is the main subject. And by moving in closer and using the plain sky as the background, we have simplified and improved the appearance of this photograph.

Which features a clearer subject?

Hans Staub

In front of the kindergarten

Aaron Siskind

Savoy Ballroom

                                     

       

                                     

       

Carol Guzy

Volcanic Mudslide in Columbia

Max Desfor

A pair of bound hands and a breathing hole in the snow reveal a body buried in the snow and left to die by retreating communists during the Korean War

                                          

                         

2. RULE OF THIRDS

                                                                               

1. The subject is off centre

2. The eye is drawn to the top left corner

3. Footprints lead eye to the subject

4. Shadow adds to photo

1. Horizon is in top third

2. Subject is not centred.

3. “S” curve is aesthetically appealing

                                                                

A CENTRED SUBJECT

                                                                

Same subject: off centre and horizon shifted

A vector is a line indicating direction and motion.

Note that the sailboat to the right appears to be moving into the picture.

THINK VECTORS!

Michael Macor

San Francisco Earthquake

                         

                                                        

Iraq

                                          

                         Children enjoy a bucket of water in war torn Liberia where the number of orphans topped 10,000. 2004

Carolyn Cole

Even portraits may be better if the subject is not centred.

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Matt Rainey

Emotional photographs that illustrate the recovery of two students burned in Seton Hall University dormitory fire.

                                          

                     

Andrea Mohin

9-11

                                                                                                                                                                                  

               

George Kochaniec

Columbine 2000

             

                                                                                                              

Columbine

                                          

                         

Squad leader stands at attention as troops pay last respects to a fallen comrade in Baghdad. 2004

David Leeson / Cheryl Meyer

3. USE OF LINES

Natural lines like a road or fence can lead the viewer to focus on your subject.

Vertical lines emphasize power, strength, and height.

Horizontal lines express stability and width.

Diagonal lines express dynamic energy.

Curving lines express sensuality.

This photo employs both the rule of thirds and the effective use of lines

George Barnard

Charleston Railway Depot

Vertical Lines = Power and Strength

Ansel Adams

- use of curves- placement of horizon

- rule of thirds

Cornell Capa

Bolshoi Ballet

New York Steelworkers

Note: Rock frames structure.Note: Horizon is not in centre of picture.

4. FRAMING

Purpose is to show height of monument

Monument is framed and includes subject and depth

1. Rule of thirds 2. Horizon is in lower third

3. Subject is framed

Marc Riboud

A street in old Beijing

Russell Lee

Migrant child returning home from the fields

5. VIEWPOINT

                                         

                          

Paul Vathis

JKF and Eisenhower discuss Bay of Pigs

Jean Gaumy

Iran’s Chadored Warriors

CANDID PHOTOS

Unposed pictures of people, often taken without the subject`s knowledge. These usually appear more natural and relaxed than posed pictures

CANDIDS

Alfred Eisenstaedt

“The Kiss”

-Victory Day

GET CLOSE!

Leonard Freed

Suspect in a Police Car

6. AVOID MERGERS

In the photo on the left, a tree appears to be growing out of the subjects head.

SPORTS AND ACTION PHOTOGRAPHS

In this picture, it looks like the runner is leaving the scene. The scene is not so readily noticed.

Action subjects should always be moving into the scene. This way the viewer notes both the setting and the subject.

The eye naturally follows the direction of the subject

THREE MAIN RULES FOR SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

1. BE READY TO SHOOT!

2. TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS

3. GET CLOSE

Try panning the camera so that the subject remains in focus but the background is blurred. This is a very effective strategy for illustrating speed.

                                           

FAMOUS PHOTOS

Arthur Leipzig

Divers, East River

Martine Franck

Le Brusc, south of France

George Hurrell

MartinMunkacsi

Joe Rosenthal

Iwo Jima

Jeff Widener

Tiananmen Square

Max Desfor

The Korean War

Refugees cling to the twisted girders of a bridge as they flee southward from the advance of Chinese communists

Jack Thornell

Civil rights activist James Meredith grimaces in pain after being shot during a voting rights march in Memphis. 1966

Nick Ut

Children fleeing an American Napalm Strike

Eddie Adams

Street execution of Vietcong Prisoner

Carol Guzy

Kosovo

Slava Veder

Burst of Joy: Released prisoner returns home after the Vietnam War

             

                                                                            

Steve Ludlum

9-11

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