The Elements

In chemistry there are different elements combined together to form one final result and in photography you have to do that too. You can try to just snap a photo and hope it comes out good, but if you want to truly be skillful you must learn some photography elements. The first element is rule of thirds. The photograph on the left is an example of the rule of thirds being used. Basically in photography you want to stay away from placing a subject directly in the middle. It’s boring for the viewer and won’t keep their attention. However if you use this type of guide it will create more space in your photograph and make it a stronger piece. Another important element in photography is depth of field. Depth of field is a trick used to make the subject of your photo stand out while the background is blurred out. The photograph below is an example of depth of field being used and it was taken by Christoph Marquardt in 2005.

A camera can only focus its lens at a single point, but there will be an area that stretches in front of and behind this focus point that still appears sharp. This zone is known as the depth of field. It’s not a fixed distance, it changes in size and can be described as either ‘shallow’ (where only a narrow zone appears sharp) or deep (where more of the picture appears sharp).

The Change

Sometimes you capture a photo, but it needs something extra. You can always reshoot. In fact one of the best photography tips is to TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS!! But you’re always allowed to enhance one of those poor quality photos with programs like Adobe Photoshop. Don’t be afraid of change because it could be the key to making something amazing. With photoshop you’re allowed to add filters, effects and use so many other useful tools. I tend to use the saturation tool a lot. I’ll bump up the saturation which makes the color in the photograph more vibrant.

Besides photography I’m also really interested in graphic design. So I like to combine the two of them and make a unique piece. The photo above is a good example of this. Before photoshop I felt the photo was kind of boring and didn’t catch my attention, but now I have changed the photo into something completely different.

The Camera

The camera is the most expensive part of pursuing a passion of photography. I use a Canon DSLR Rebel T5. This camera costs around $500. I know that’s a crazy amount, but don’t worry you don’t need a camera right away to start photography. Phone cameras work too, the quality may not be as great but it’s a tool and depending on the way you use it you could capture something amazing. 

I captured this photo of the Merrimack River with my iPhone. I was walking over the Rourke bridge and when I saw this amazing reflection of the sun on the water I had to capture it. This was before I even really had a passion for photography. Once I saw how simple it was to capture something beautiful I felt inspired to do it more. This photograph here marks the start of my love for photography and that was without a $500 camera. Don’t be wrong a DSLR camera is a great tool to  have and will teach you how to grow as an independent photographer, but don’t let it stop  you from creating something right now.

Inspiration

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I hope after that first post I was able to get you thinking about photography, maybe even considering it as a new hobby. The first problem you’ll face with this hobby is figuring out what to take a picture of. First just get familiar with the camera. Go outside, take some pictures of your surroundings, just use the different settings and take note of the outcomes. I’ll go more in depth on types of cameras and how to use them in my upcoming posts, but for this post my topic is inspiration. Getting adjusted to the camera isn’t necessarily the first step in becoming a good photographer. You should do some research, look at famous art works and photographs. A quick google search will result in tons of art from over the years which is the start of your inspiration. In the digital photography class at Lowell High School the curriculum follows this. Before being able to use the cameras, I had to write reflections on old photographs and identify what elements were used to create such an amazing piece. Once I started taking photographs I was able to apply those elements I identified into capturing an amazing photo of my own. Another way to be inspired by past works is to recreate them and interpret them in your own way.

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Let’s look at some examples because the visuals are the inspiration not my words. The photograph below is one of the best-known photographs taken by Edward Weston

(“Pepper No.30”, 1930)  

What makes this so great? There’s no special meaning behind it but Weston is using his camera as a tool and making us look at a pepper in a new way. The idea is important in photography but also the execution. The contrast and angle create a perfect composition and without those elements it would just be a basic pepper.

Introduction to Photography

Photography is more than just pressing the button and taking a snapshot of the moment. Photography is about using the camera as a tool. You have to use surrounding light, composition and all the many elements to capture something incredible. To be a great photographer, you need to have a special eye for things. Don’t just step outside and take a photo of the beautiful sunset. You have to look beyond the basic subjects and use creativity to capture a powerful photograph.

Photography is a passion of mine, I plan to major in digital arts during college. I’m not a perfect photographer, but I’m learning and gaining skills to make me better. As I learn I want to share with you my knowledge. I will share photos of mine as well as a variety of photographs throughout history. Through my insight and photos, I hope to develop an understanding of how to capture the perfect photograph and inspire you to follow my passion of photography or any type of art. I believe we all need some creativity in our lives and I want to provide that to my readers.