Framing with lines and patterns
Posted on 28 February 2010 | 2 responses
Below are two images I made in Ladakh last year. These were some really interesting sand dunes we came across on our way back from Pangong to Leh and what caught my eyes, were the lovely intricate wave patterns on the soft dunes. The minute I saw it, I knew I wanted to make an image of the patterns. Before you read on I want you to have a look at both the images and decide on which image looks more “inviting” and “interesting” to the eyes.
Ok now that you have made your choice, you can read on.
An image looks more “inviting” and “interesting” only when it lets the eye “wander” and “explore”. This is actually a very important aspect that one should keep in mind when photographing patterns. The patterns in the image must be aligned such that they allow for free movement around the image.
Now how to achieve that? If you look at the two images above, you will notice that the first one has the wave patterns framed perpendicular to the line of sight and the second one has the waves almost parallel to the line of sight. Now if this theory is any valid, then most of you would have chosen the second image, with the waves running parallel to the line of sight. Why is this? The theory goes that when your eyes hit any pattern the mind always prefers to glide through the patterns rather than jump across it. This is easy to understand if we imaging water flowing on the pattern. If the given a chance the water will always flow along the direction of the patterns than across it. That’s the same reason why our minds like images which has patterns running parallel to the line of sight compared to images which has patterns running perpendicular to it.
This learning can also be applied when making landcape images which have lines running through the frame. It’s always better if you can have the lines or patterns running into or outside the frame, than running across it. This waterfall in Kemmangundi for example has line patterns in the water flow, and I aligned myself such that the lines moved in a direction out of the frame keeping the above theory in mind, thereby encouraging the viewer to explore the picture.
So the next time you making images keep this thing in mind, by looking for patterns and aligning yourself right for achieving the perfect picture.
Hope I have confused you enough for the time being, and as always we at LW look forward to hearing from you.
Posted By : Sriharsha Ganjam
Rule of thirds
Posted on 28 January 2010 | 1 response
A good Landscape image is one which invites the eye to move around the picture, thereby exploring every bit of it and soaking in the beauty as it wanders around. Now what does that mean? and how to apply it in practice?
All people when presented with an image for the first time, invariably look at the centre of the frame as that’s how our minds have been programmed to look. It is due to this reason alone that most novice photographers “plonk” their subjects and make images with the subject at the dead center. This also affects the viewer. When viewing a “plonked” image the mind draws attention to the subject straight on, there by reducing the interest in the viewer to explore the rest of the picture. Viewer sees the main subject and then forgets about it. Nothing excites him/her. Its like giving away the climax of a thriller novel in the very first page! Now who would want to read the reminder of the novel?
On the other hand, if the main subject is placed off the center, then, the viewer’s eye quite naturally goes to the center first and having not found the main subject of interest is forced to look around the image “exploring” the whole scene to try and identify the subject. This accounts for a much better viewing pleasure and also makes the viewer more aware of the different elements present in the frame.
Science has it, based on this concept, that a frame looks most powerful when the subject is placed at one thirds of the frame on either sides (left or right, top or bottom).
So remember this the next time you making images, do not PLONK and try and make an effort to place the subject off center.
Posted By : Sriharsha Ganjam
Horizon alignment
Posted on 13 January 2010 | No responses
While making images of landscapes with horizon or any horizontal boundaries, it is important to remember that the boundary has to be kept parallel to the horizontal edge of the frame. This indeed is a very common mistake that many of the photographers do in their initial days of learning. In the enthusiasm of capturing the beauty of the scenery or landscape, on many occasions, we tend to overlook the alignment of the horizon and horizontal edges in the frame. The chances of happening this are many fold when we make the images handheld.
You can clearly see in the above image that there is a tiny bit of tilt in the horizon. It may be very trivial for a common man who is viewing this image. Many a times viewer may not notice it at all! Only a trained eye can easily catch it and the image will be tagged as ‘just another’ photo. These things seem small and trivial but believe me, it is these tiny things which distinguishes a professional work from the rest of the crowd.
Below is the image where the horizon is in parallel with the bottom edge of the frame.
It is true that the tilt can be corrected during post-processing. But sometimes it comes at a cost – a compromise with the composition! If we had composed the frame with some elements in the foreground or some elements across the frame then the process of correcting the tilt eats up some spaces all around the frame which in many cases impacts the composition. If the original composition is finely balanced, then, the probability of the tilt correction ruining the balance of the composition is very high.
As in the case of below image which was made at KumaraParvatha, the horizon has gone weird with Sun and a flowering plant in the frame being a part of composition.
Now, during processing, I tried correcting the tilt BUT that altered the original composition! During the correction phase, it was evident that there was very less space on the left of the plant and much of the part of Sun was getting cropped off!
So here is this image, still sitting in my ‘not good’ folder and the only use I have made of this image is here, to show the common error that photographers often make whilst getting carried away by the enthusiasm of making a stunning image without taking the necessary precaution.
All the above points are valid for the cases that has the elements perpendicular to the bottom edge as well!
So next time when you are out there, capturing an amazing sunrise or a dramatic sunset or a sea scape or anything that contains the horizon or horizontal or vertical elements of the scene, exercise caution to get things right on the field. Else, that wonderful moment may simply find a place in your thrash folder. Majority of the times … forever!
A pretty common error … yet an expensive one!
Tip from the wizards:
If you religiously use tripod, always have a bubble level. It’s indeed a handy tool! Of course, the latest technologies have paved way for having an horizontal alignment integrated into the latest DSLR cameras making this “mason’s tool” redundant!
Posted By : Ashwini Bhat
Sense of scale
Posted on 7 December 2009 | 3 responses
Many a times we tend to make landscape images with all its grandeur and think relatively less on ‘adding’ different dimensions to it.
What I actually mean by dimension is that ’something’ which may occupy even a small space but takes the image to a completely new level of perception. ‘Scale’ is what precisely I am talking about.
Sense of scale brings lots of difference to a landscape image. It helps in perceiving the vastness of the scene / elements ( as to how big or small it is ) in relation to the the frame.
Just think how does it feel if we take out these two ’spots’ from the peak of the mountain?Very much empty , no visual anchor, un-interesting! Isn’t it?
So next time when you are making a landscape image, just think about how can you bring in that extra bit to give the sense of scale. That takes your image to a new level.
Posted By : Ashwini Bhat
Intimate insights
Posted on 20 October 2009 | No responses
Tech Specs: Canon 40D, Canon 70-200 F2.8 L
Landscape photography is not just about foreground, middle ground and background and arrangement of the subject falling in these three layers. Sometimes, it gets so intense that it feels like meditation. ‘Intimate landscapes’ is my latest passion and it’s my new found love. Making a concious effort to shoot a portion of the visible landscape is extremely tough especially,if you cannot visualize the scene that you want to show!
Arrangement of elements in the frame is the key to initimates. Visualizing the the scene in the frame will be of prime importance when one intends to make a real good intimate landscape image. Shape, prominence of the subject in the frame, size, geometry, patterns, tones and colors are subset of elements, when put together in a way that it establishes a close relationship between every single pixel in the frame with a sense of ‘close up’ would make a good intimate. Only when it establishes an emotional contact( untill then it’s just a technically perfect photograph but not art! ) with the viewer is when it would make the frame a perfect intimate image.
Tip: Minimalistic composition helps achieving intimacy thus filtering out the ‘noise’ ( thus portraying the essence of what the photographer witnessed and felt looking at the scene ) in the frame which in turn aids in creating a strong intimate art.
Posted By : Pramod Viswanath
Adding depth and variety to images
Posted on 11 October 2009 | No responses
Tech Specs: Canon 5D + Canon 70-200 F2.8
Landscape photography often revolves around evoking emotions and portraying the depth in the scene. We always try to bring in concepts of leading lines, elements, etc to show the depth of an image. One new thing which stuck into my mind during photographing in Nubra region of Ladakh (Nubra is a high altitude desert with rare precipitation and scant vegetation except along river beds), is the ability to use the idea of layers, scale and variety to show the depth in an image. Ladakh is formed of varying landscapes – everything varying from snow-capped mountains to dry rocky hills to thick thorny shrubby region to sliver sand-dunes! In this image the combination of sand-dunes, trees and the gigantic mountains are presented in a ’sandwiched’ composition to depict a sense of depth and variety in the image.
Posted By : Shivakumar Narayan