So you know the technical basics,

where do you go from there?

 1. Explore your options

See the potential photographs in front of your camera

Remember! Print is a flat piece of paper.

Photograph transforms a 3D event into a frozen instant.

The scene will be reduced to a smaller size and confined
within the edges of the picture format.

CONCENTRATE ON THE ACTUAL IMAGE!

Arthur Leipzig, Stickball, 1950
How much of a scene to show

Robert Frank, Parade, Hoboken, 1955

 Get closer to your subject

Lee Friedlander
What is your photograph about?

Jerome Liebling
 Visualize what you want the photograph to look like

Sally Mann
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJvYxxrLtQg
Every time you make an exposure you make choices about framing

Ray Metzker
Don’t forget that the background is a part of the picture

Paul Strand, French Boy

Use the background when it contributes to something.

Walker Evans
BASIC DESIGN
Single small object against a contrasting background attracts attention

Hiromu Kira
The eye tends to connect two or more spots like a connect the numbers drawing

Don Hong-Oai, Hoops

Russell Lee, Hidalgo County, Texas, 1939
A line is a shape that is longer than it is wide. This is an Ex. of an actual line.

Russell Lee
More actual line

Ansel Adams
Actual lines

Alexander Rodchenko
Implied line

Cindy Sherman
Implied line

Cindy Sherman
Psychology of lines

Horizontal > calm, stability

Vertical > stature, strength

Diagonal > activity, motion

Zigzag > rapid motion

Curve > gracefulness, slowness

Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
 Shape - tonal changes across the subject can give illusion of depth
Two or more objects invite comparison of their shapes

Man Ray Dennis Stock

Multiple spot, lines, or shapes can create a pattern that add interest and unites the elements in a scene

Alexander Rodchenko
Alexander Rodchenko
Objects that are close together can be seen as a single shape

Man Ray
Contrast attracts attention

Man Ray
Try to emphasize subjects with camera angle, use scene to reinforce emphasis-Set tension!
Remember! A centered symmetrical arrangement can be boring.
People look first at the sharpest part of a photograph --your point of view can have a strong influence

Annie Leibovitz
Shape of light and dark

Flor Garduno
 Composition -- the rule of third
The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds (both
horizontally and vertically) so that you have 9 parts. With this grid in mind the ‘rule of thirds’ now identifies
four important parts of the image that you should consider placing points of interest in as you frame your
image.
Not only this - but it also gives you four ‘lines’ that are also useful positions for elements in your photo.
The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo
becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have
shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally
rather than the center of the shot - using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image
rather than working against it.

Arno Rafael Minkinnen

The relative distance of objects from the lens and from each other affects perspective = the illusion
of 3D in a flat 2D photograph

Toshio Shibata
Think Space! Overlapping of objects create depth

Suyeon Yun, Birthday Card

Unifying principles of design (a successful art is called the gestalt of a work)
1. Repetition

Fred R. Conrad
Annie Leibovitz
2. Variety

James Hill
3. Similarity

James Hill
4. Rhythm

Margaret Bourke-White, contour plowing

Timothy O'Sullivan
5. Balance

Pancho Gonzales, 1972

6. Emphasis

Andrew Biraj
7. Economy

Hiroshi Sugimoto
Edward Weston
7. Continuation

Fred R. Conrad
Observe & express texture
http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/ny-region/lens photojournalism/1194811622243/index.html#1194817107131

http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/ny-region/lens-photojournalism/1194811622243/index.html#1194817107131