Photographic techniques

Photographic techniques

Photographic techniques

Ideas and techniques which are essential when taking photographs-

Shot distance

-Use of tilt

-Shot composition

-Eye line

-Tone

-Line

-Colour, including vivid, primary and monochromatic colour.

-Texture, and hints on creating texture.

-Patters and hints on capturing patterns.

Shot distance types

Extreme Long Shot (very distant)/Long shot full body) – Good for showing the insignificance of characters as powerless within an overpowering environment. Also good for establishing location.

Medium Long Shot (knees up)/ Medium shot (waist up)- Good for showing movement or for a balanced tracking of characters and their environment.

Medium close up (head and shoulders)/ Close up (head)- Good for portraiture or for moving image interviews.

Big close up (small part of forehead and chin cut out)/ Extreme close up (features)- Good for showing the significance of character or for showing characters as powerful. Also highly useful drawing attention to character emotions.

Tilt shots

Tilt up shot (low angle)- Used to make them look powerful and dominant.

Tilt down (high angle)- Used to convey vulnerability or weakness of a person in shot and to demonstrate dominance of point of view.

Tone

Control of tones, including variations of light and dark, emphasizing important parts of the image, and colour, generally set the mood of your photograph.

Tone control can be used to emphasize the shapes of the most important elements in your image.

Photographic/moving image and techniques

Composition

You need to think very carefully about how you compose a photograph.

Many photographers place their subject in the middle of the photograph, which can often result in a dull image.

Use of off centre composition can create a focal point.

Foreground/Background

When designing a shot remember to keep in mind both of the action in the foreground and the background.

Framing

Keep the RULE OF THIRDS in mind when designing your shot. The viewer’s eye is drawn to the crossections of a frame, this is where your action should be taking place.

Lines

Lines are useful for emphasizing and leading the viewer towards a main area or subject.

The may also divide up the picture space into segments, which may vary in size and shape. The shape of lines and their general pattern can strongly influence the mood of the photograph.

Using colour

Taking control of the way in which colour is used in your photos is a key way of improving your images.

Keep you eyes open for vibrant coloured objects, but also look for delicate coloured subjects and ones with muted tones.

Colour spells-Bright, bold colours are used on magazine covers, so choose or plan the shots that you will take when producing your magazine cover.

Monochromatic colours

It can also work well to use just one or two colours in a picture, such shots sometime shave an intensity and sense of harmony.

Textures

Most of the time we are taking photographs we think about the subject, but there is another way of approaching picture-taking, which involves thinking beyond the subject and looking at it in terms of textures and patterns.

Photography is especially effective and conveying the impression of texture. This is a quality which can be extremely powerful close up.

Direction, height and the quality of lighting make a big difference to the appearance of textures.

Patterns

Harsh light and shadow can reveal the shape of something so well that it is unnecessary to actually show the subject itself.

Patterns are frequently caused by the effect of shadows.

Patterns are also created when a distinctive shape is repeated within the image and it can have a powerful impact when used as part of a composition.

People

 

Photographs of people and children are the most common  form of photography.

One of the key things to consider is whether you want the person to pose for the camera shot, or whether a 'candid' photograph would be better so that your subjects are unaware of you and your camera.




The above research that I have learnt will help me a lot towards producing my own product as I am now more aware hoe images on my magazine should look and how to make shots seem more professional/realistic.