Effective Composition - Rule of Third

Adding on to a previous posting... Today's topics is Effective Composition - Rule of Third

Using the tips talked about previously will definitely help to tighten up your composition.
Now we will look at a few techniques you can employ to help improve your
composition. If you are taking photographs for your own pleasure, as I assume
you are, then you only have to shoot pictures that you like. You may
be able to overlook the huge empty spaces or people with their heads cut off
or chopped of edges or any other defect that you think it artistic...
no-one else will. That cute kid looks really cute it's just a pity that you need
a magnifying glass to see him. Yes! Hoilday pictures are only for ourselves...
Won't it be better if you can also WOW the friends and family who till see them too?
Take pride in this.. the more you get compliments, the more you will want to improve...
Its a proven formula... Make the effort. You will thank yourself for it years after.

The Rule of Thirds.

Pic1

Take a look at this pic, this is one example of utilising the rule of 3rd. Below is the diagram that shows how its applied...

Pic 2

One of the most popular 'rules' in photography is the Rule Of Thirds. It is also popular amongst artists and painters.
It works like this:
Imaginary lines are drawn dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. You place important elements of your composition where these lines intersect. I've even made a little diagram for you (pic2).

As well as using the intersections you can arrange areas into zone occupying a third or place things along the imaginary lines. As you can see it is super easy to implement. Good places to put things; third of the way up, third of the way in from the left , you get the idea. Not so good places to put things; right in the middle, right at the top, right at the bottom, away in the corner. Those will work sometimes, which will be in another article. For now, just practice and practice practice!! Thats the only way to improve.

Pic 3

The Rule of Thirds helps produce nicely balanced pleasing to the eye pictures.
Also, as you have to position things relative to the edges of the frame and the composition helps lead the viewer into the photo, it helps get rid of the 'too much space all around the subject in the middle of nowhere problem.

Pic 4

One more thing about the Rule of Thirds. Once you have got the hang of the Rule of Thirds you will very quickly want to break it! This is completely fine. These 'rules' are guidelines and if you can create a better image by bending or ignoring rules then fire away. The general rule of thumb is that this will give most photographs a pleasing composition. It really helps to reduce the unwanted and ugly composited pictures by a very very large margin.

Once more pic

Rule of 3rd again

The Rule of Thirds is fairly structured but there are a great many methods you can employ which rely on your ability to 'see' things and incorporate them into your composition. Art is a math in more ways than one... so we do have to understand what works and what does not. Till the next time!

How You Hold Your Camera DOES Make a Difference

How You Hold Your Camera DOES Make a Difference!!!

I'll bet when you bought your camera,
nobody took the time to explain how to properly hold it.
This is one of those things that professionals do unconsciously,
and beginners may never do until somebody points it out to them
(or they learn the hard way, ie blur pictures)

Many people also often hold cameras with their fingers partially
blocking the lens.
This is super true esp for point n shoot cameras. Or handphone
cameras...

The second thing you would notice is fingers getting
in the way of the flash or red-eye reduction light.
Bottom line, you want to hold your camera so that
it is comfortable, stable, and able to take decent photographs.

The other photography tip concerning how your camera is held
involves movement. Your objective is ALWAYS to hold the camera as
still as possible.
Unless its intended. Which in 99.999% of the case... is not...

Although not obvious, holding your camera absolutely
still does not come naturally. And the longer the exposure
time, the more likely the photograph will lose sharpness… that is,
unless you use a tripod.

Tests and research has shown that almost all pictures taken at normal
shutter speeds are not as sharp as the picture would have been had the
camera been on a tripod.

This is shot handheld..

Using a tripod is the best way to make sure that you get sharp pictures!!

Personally, I never ever EVER EVER go for a shoot without a tripod. It
can make or break a photographers career.

The three things that has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS to be on a shoot.
Tripod, lens hood and duct tape. besides the camera of course!

If the camera is large enough, grasp the camera firmly in both hands,
the right one on the camera body with your first finger poised on the
shutter button;
and your left hand either under and around the lens, or on the bottom
of the camera body.

With small cameras, still use both hands please... being lazy is not a
excuse...

Just as in shooting a rifle, remember to relax your breathing and to
squeeze the shutter button (not jerk it) just before firing. Touch it
like you will touch a baby's face or your lover's face.

Next time, observe this when other people are taking pictures. You
will be surprised at how many people you will catch
jabbing away at the shutter button. That will actually shake the
camera more than most earthquakes.

Practice, Practice Practice!!!

Share this with someone who will benefit : )

Photography Basics

The modern camera is capable of super many things.
It can work out the best recommended exposure;
In P('Professional' Mode) Pun Intended is selects
a suitable shutter speed or aperture along
with alot of other functions. On yea, it even helps you to focus too!
However useful these functions are in helping you get your
perfect picture. There is one thing a camera
cannot do is compose your picture for you.
It does not have any idea what you are trying to achieve
or what you want to shoot so you have to do it yourself.

Composition.
If you are using an 'auto-everything' camera like a 35mm compact
or program mode (P Mode) in your SLR then what you have to do is
basically
is composing your photographs. Sadly no one tell you how to take
a great picture as to some degree it comes down to your own ability to
'see' a picture or the potential to create a picture.

However there are loads of rules and techniques you can use to improve
the
final look of your photographs. Lets take a look at a few of the more
popular,
effective and easy to understand techniques that you will be able to
start using right away.

There are 3 basic ways to arrange the elements within your composition.

* Physically move objects. Only really works with still life
photography or if you are Hercules.
* Tell people to move!
* Move yourself! The best zoom you will ever have are your own
legs! (Where applicable)

The 3rd is probably the easiest but yet most people forget and grow
roots.
How often have you think to yourself That will make a GREAT PICTURE!
then you snap away and take your photograph. I bet more than 90% of your
pictures are shot this way!
You are most welcome to do that. However right after doing this,
please walk around
and see if you can improve your original picture from a different
perspective.I guarantee
that you will be surprising yourself. And this will greatly help in
horning your 'creative eye' too!

Always Try to Fill the frame.
Most of the time, what we see with our eyes and what is actually
captured on frame are
pretty different pictures. This is the part where you really have to
train yourself to see and
to feel and know what makes a good picture. Mostly we our perspective
and the camera's
perspective are different because the lens is fixed. Our eyes rove
around all the time! Unless
you are a zombie!

Frame is loose... n boring..

Filling in the frame makes the subject look much better

So USE THAT ZOOM!!!
So... moving on....
The Best way to fix this problem is to fill the frame with your subject.
Move closer! Use the best zoom u got! Make sure that the space around
your subject is not too distracting snatching attention away from them!
How often have you seen street lamps, buildings and what not growing
our from the top of your beautiful subject? More times than most of us care to admit I bet!

Always remember, our world is 3 dimensional, Photographs are 2 dimensional.

The pole that sticks out of that background in our 3D world will look like it grew out of someone's head in 2D world... till the next time...

The Basic Mindset...

One of the most frustrating things about
photography is having a picture you took,
turn out a lot worse than expected and not
know why! Of course you can delete the
image, but if you don't know what went wrong,
you can't correct it.

Even though you're reading trying to find out more about
basic photography tips doesn't mean you don't know
anything about photography.

I am sure that you actually know more than you think you do,
The best way to improve is to talk about it and read up and experiment.

Do you ever realize alot of times. While you
are describing something to someone
even though you are not so sure about something,
somehow the answer pops up to you when the question
is going through you mind while you are explaining.

And one more thing, Just go and do it...

You will never know until you do something.
Before you really go and do it
the only thing you have ever done is...

Heard about it
Thought about it
Talked about it

But you will NEVER experience and learn until you,

Freaking DO IT!!!

Never be afraid of making mistakes...

The more mistakes you make and correct,
the faster you will learn n improve.

Photography Basics

When I first started out in photography, I did not really have anyone
to turn to in terms of advice or help when I had questions.
Perhaps everyone faces the same problem too...

Throughout these few years, more n more people that i meet or know
has been asking me questions with regards to photography. Perhaps I
appear like an expert, or just that its my profession and people expect
you to know more. :)

Been thinking about it and I think it will be great if there i a place
for my friends
or people who know me and want to ask questions with regards to
photography
to have a place they can go to and do that. So this blog will be that.

Starting from this week, I will try to post a writeup about questions
that I have been
asked with the answers weekly. The objective of this is for that this
will become interactive.

Meaning, any reader can just post questions to me... sharing is the
best way to learn...
and someone has told me before, sharing what you know is the best way
to know more about
what you know... :) Long winded.. but true dont you think?

Have a great week ahead... and look out for the first article... :)

The New Wave

Well well well... Its been a long time!

D got her S pass to officially start working.. GREAT!

Been pretty busy until recently and now have a few days off,

I will use them to complete the pictures for the participants of the
Photowall.

Totally random pictures time!

The installation Video! Complete! 4hrs + to 38secs!

Thanks to KerVin for his help! Complete installation! 4hrs ++ into 38secs... kekekeke pretty cool stuff!

Check it out on the website

http://www.wantedforbeingbeautiful.com/exhibition.html

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you so much ALLLL of you!!!!!

Thank you ALL the Beautiful People who agreed to be on the wall..

Thank you all you wonderful people who took time from ur busy schedules... busy lives and contributed a little of urself to this project...

Its been a very busy.. hectic and yet super fun time!

This has been a totally great ride!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

The website www.WantedForBeingBeautiful.com is up... Please do pay a visit!

:)

Wanted For Being Beutiful - Celebrating The Singapore Spirit.

This exhibiton of mine has been almost 6 months into the making.. n tomorrow is the launch.... am I happy??... YES!! am I tired.. YES!! I just realize that when push come to shove... the real people on your team are those that really help... lip service is not considered... and constructive criticism is good... criticism without a solution especially when all help provided is lip service is totally fucked up :) Still I love you guys!! Its the lack of sleep talking...

Anyways!!! THE WALL IS FINALLY UP!!! It feels really good looking at it... and it also feels damn strange.... when i was looking at the prints.. it looked huge.. on the wall... it looks really small.. heheh...

Just some specs...

Wall is 7.5 ft high.. and 96ft long...

There are 43 people symbolizing Singapore's 43rd year National Day.

I have worked almost 800hrs on this project...

I have spend a OBSCENE amount of money on this project... did I say OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MONEY? yea... Its all worth it...

Ok.. The wall is up... the video is here... take a peek and I hope to see you tomorrow!!! 4pm National Library at The Plaza 1st Floor!

Really Great Week

this week has been really amazing... i have never slept so little since army days.. a total of 5 hrs combines for the whole week... and the strange thing is i feel really tired sometimes but the rest of the time i am quote ok... its weird man...haha.

Had a shoot at the crowne plaza hotel in T3, its a amazingly beautiful hotel. The shoot went really well.. and after went to have lunch at the hotel's restaurant courtesy of the PR Dept:) Thanks John! ... There... I had the most amazing lamb ever... taste is still lingering in my mouth... its really really good. Highly recommended. Restaurant Azure.

Finishing up the DI to rush for print... Fingers crossed... The sxhibit is on the coming 2nd... I am getting stressed out...

Updates and Things like that

Its been a crazy crazy period since the last time i posted....let me post a short update n epan on it later.so... here it goes!

Moved into a new place,

Went to KL for a weekend visiting my sister,

Redid my portfolio(and still is!)

Got out a new business plan for the future,

Shot for Sony again, and Yunna Haircare, and Razer, and Blissful Brides latest issue amongst... Also shot the launch of the Mandarin Gallery at Orchard(where i had the best Tuna Belly sashami of my life,

In between all this, was also shooting for my first exhibition Wanted for Being Beautiful - The Singapore Spirit. You can see it on my facebook events list.

Its for our 43rd National Day celebrations together with the National Library Board and other sponsors which have been really great to work with. Thanks to Hasselblad Cameras, Profoto Professional Lighting, Shu Umera, Goldklein,

Of course its printed by HP solutions using HP Media and orginal supplies!

busy and happy... :)

Though of the Week!

Good work that leaves the world softer and fuller and better than ever before is the stuff of which human satisfaction and spiritual value are made.

Joan Chittister

Sorry have not been updating much lately... been up to my eyeballs with work... will update some newer stuffs very soon...

Thought of the Week!

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.

Gloria Steinem

My Life...

My Personal Vibration Determines The Circumstances And Situations That Happen To Me. My Thoughts And My Beliefs Create My Personal Vibration. My Thoughts And Beliefs Create My Life. My Life Is A Reflection Of Me.

My Power To Think Thought Is My Power To Create My Life And I Have The Power To Think The Thoughts I Choose

Time n time again

Well well well.. its time n time again... I have been talking to the same people. over n over again.. but i really think i should leave them to their own devices... cos anyway. They are perfectly doing perfectly what they are doing perfectly. So, why should I interfere? Its ok... God works in his own time. and in his own way, so what I should do now is just do my best in my perfectly perfect way as you are doing your things in the perfectly perfect way.

Every act is either a success or a failure. If every act is a success. The sum of my life will be a success. So will yours be. :)

Logitech NULOOQ Professional Navigator

OK guys... this is it... the best invention for photoshoppers ever...

its sweet sweet sweet... u never have to touch the [ n ] keys to control ur brush size like freaking 9999999 times every hour... and u can zoom n pan n do all that with ur left wrist never leaving the table... and i think if i remember correctly, u can prog shortcuts to the different buttons. Meaning.... u just click n it changes to clone, or heal, or whatever u prog it to be.. and then u twist the dial n the brush size changes to whatever size u want it... Ok... I think you guys get the IDEA. IHIH. I am going to this order from the US as its not availiable in Asia... duh...




This is the official Writeup:

It's not a mouse, but it could be your mouse's best friend!

NuLOOQ navigator is an innovative stationary control device, about the size of a half a tennis ball but weighs in at a solid 1 lb. Built into the device are a multi-dimensional ring, called the navring for simultaneous 360 degree pan and zoom and a touch sensitive circular disk, called the tooltuner for fine precision control.

Features: Adjust brush size in one pixel increments in Adobe Photoshop CS2 without ever moving a slider or clicking on a shortcut key. Fine-tune font attributes such as leading, tracking and more in Adobe InDesign CS2 without using the option bar Scroll and zoom your documents, spreadsheets, digital pictures or more with the smallest movement of the gray ring. Scrub timelines in Final Cut Pro or iMovie quickly or slowly. Change volume or music tracks in iTunes quickly while it runs in the background. And more¡­NuLOOQ navigator is user configurable for virtually any application.

Lappland... Eräsetti Safaris...

-25 with a wind chill of up to 100km/hr

Shot this for the Eräsetti Safaris. http://www.erasetti.fi
They are the 2nd biggest safari operator in Finland. Their main office is next to Santa Claus's. Quite cool yea!! ... I even had a nice chat with him(Santa!!!!) He can greet people in almost any language... and he knows ALOT about cameras... I mean ALOTTTT.....

Very nice day out even though it was f@#king freezing... all shot with 70-200 on a 5D. Batteries were changed every 20 to 30 shots... My toughest shoot to date... but also one of my most enjoyable:)







Just above the Arctic Line, Meaning that the average temperature year round is below freezing...







The bridge at the back is the main bridge in rovanemi. Very scenic... and we are actually on the frozen river snowmobiling...

Amazing...

Life is just amazing... :)

How many times do we wake up feeling that the world is singing our song...
How many times do we get out of bed and feel as if the whole universe is just perfect...
How many times do we go out of the house walking on air... :)



Sexy Sexy honey baby drives my craZy in my mind.... in my mind

Northern lights

Ok... I know i am way overdue... but i have not really had time to process the images yet... and i cant post 13mb raw images here...if i could i would have done that... ok.. but here are some pictures that i shot on the pns... walking ard vilnius old town... i am having some super slow connection with the internet at home... will upload more pics when i get that fixed...




this should be converted to black n white... much nicer i am sure...



3 crosses hill... from the top u can actually overlook most of the whole city...



See lots of Graffiti everywhere... However.. this wall is legal to paint ur art...



D n flare... clouds is one... n D with backflare is another one...



Oldest & Biggest Cathedral



Who needs a polarizer? :)

OK.. till the next time...

Sincerity

Very recently, a friend did something that really suprised me. I mean i expected that coming for some time. but you know how it is.. sometimes... even when you expect it. when it really happens it still suprises you. I am sure you know what i mean... :)

Anyways... nuthing much suprises me anymore. Just that when people are truly sincere, it shows... in word, action and mind. Friends indeed! :)

I only have one thing in mind. And God knows what that is. Someday soon... so will everyone else. This aint proper english... but wtf...

Saussage

One of my favourite foods... on my birthday... cooked in vodka... what else... :D



and of course... birthday cake...



Here goes the first 2 litres of vodka... in total there was about 7.5lt consumed within the first week... my liver needs the workout... :D

Northern Lights

Its something that I have always wanted to photograph... I saw them once in the last millenium... but i did not have the expertise... nor the equpement to take a decent photo even though i spent one whole roll of film trying to shoot them... well.. at last... i see, i hear... and i shot... :)

Thought of the week

There is no shortcut to winning and success. There is only getting started and sticking with it.

i cant seem to reize the pic properly for posting ley... can someone help with the html?

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i just put the width =400 right??? wad else do i need to do.. the pics all end up looking like fuck

Pics... just some

ok... some pics for u folks hollering at me... taken mostly with pns...



My sexy boots in Vantaa Airport Helsinki



Leaving Helsinki to Vilnius... u see... its cold n wet... sians 1/2



Beauty of the clouds in Europe... This can never be seen elsewhere... okok...at least i have not seen it elsewhere...



More clouds... beautiful aint it..



Snowflake on the window pane...



At last.. arrival in Vilnius...

Ok... more pics later...

Quote of week

Before i forget...

Good work that leaves the world softer and fuller and better than ever before is the stuff of which human satisfaction and spiritual values are made.
Joan Chittister

Lithuania...

Well.. the weather is not as expected here... its cold n wet. +3 to -2... just like in authum... nothing like the cold freezing winter that i was so looking forward to...Did not get to shoot much... just scenery n stuffs... D had a shoot with one of the top magazines here... wil post more pics on that later... the shoot... n how its run.... is very different from the usual styles that i am not use to... i mean workflow n stuffs... more about that.. i cannot get laptop connection.. so now everything is just on borrowed computers... in berlin tomorrow will be better i hope... lets see!!

As usual

As usual... I am not sleeping the night before a long flight... my eyes are burning and i can feel that my head will be spinning in a matter of minutes... however... MY PACKING IS NOT DONE YET!!!!!! ARGGGGG!!!!!! It will be done... IT MUST BE DONE!!!! What am i doing still online... i was just thinking. I will be so happy the day we can still use msn on flights... it will make long trips so much faster wont it... :)

36 more hours

In 36hrs.. i will be touch down in helsinki... maybe even in vilnius... whaaha at last.... well well well.... 2 weeks has past... really fast...

Just was talking to a few friends of mine... over helpful people are sometimes a pain.. sometimes they are ok... but those who are really helpful out of their own good heart... those are forever ok... its those who pretend.. with a hidden agenda... those are the mother fuckers that i would so love to see dead as roadkill... :)

Look at the emails I get!!!

Shit.. some virus programe got into my email server.... so its sending out offers to all the ppl in my address book links to buy viagra... knn.... if any of u get it... pls ignore.. its better fixed as we speak...

One more week!!!

In one more week I will be 33, IN one more week i will be on a plane heading up north.. In one more week... many things will happen, many things will change... many many many many many... :) i just hopes it snows like hell... n everywhere is white... that will be so beautiful. Well, just confirmed a shoot with this european magazine... will post more on it later... in the meantime.. i have some more shots up from Hong Kong...

Thought of the week

It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles.

Claude M. Bristo

So touching...

I chanced upon this... its super touching ad... the Thais are really creative when it comes to advertising... there are so many fantastic ads coming from this beautiful country... check this out!

Grandpa Chew



Lovely!!!

REbirth

Finally had the time to do some personal Di work for some looonnnggggg over due pictures... well.. luckily in a way it was for myself and not for a client... I accidentally wrote over the high res file.. so if i want to print this pic.. i will have to redo it... well.. well.. in the meantime... this is the pic... She is a very very season model.. who has travelled all over the world doing nudes... she landed in singapore and i had the opportunity to shoot her... :)

REbirth.. somehow the title just sounds almost right :)



here is a link to a bigger version

REbirth

love....

did this spread some time in HK last year... really love the feel of the whole set... take a look at the whole spread here...

love...

2008.. The Year Of The Amazing....

This will be a amazing year... :) Thank you for everything... Thank you for everything... :)