Reflections in Water

I have left almost to the last the magic of water, an element which owing to its changefulness of form and mood and colour and to the vast range of its effects is ever the principal source of landscape beauty, and has like music a mysterious influence over the mind.

- Sir George Sitwell (On the Making of Gardens)

3 EASY TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

So I said when I started this blog that I wanted to do a few basic tutorials and give tips for everyone to improve their photography, so that's what I'm doing today! Below are three basic tips to help you improve your photography RIGHT NOW!

• Apply the "Rule of Thirds" For anyone who hasn't heard of this, it basically means that, when looking through the viewfinder, divide your image into three equal sections. This helps you to get away from the trap many amateur photographers fall into, which is cutting your image in half (think top half of image as sky, bottom half as land, etc).
  
• Don't be afraid to take the subject of your photograph out of the center of the image. Once you have the Rule of Thirds down, divide your image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, which will essentially divide your viewing area into nine different sections. Experiment with placing your subject (person, pet, building, etc) somewhere other than center stage. This will often lead to better, more interesting images.
  
• Know that turning an image to black & white in Photoshop doesn't automatically make it art. This is kindof a pet peeve amongst art photographers. When you look at your images, ask yourself what value it will add to change to a B&W image versus leaving it in color. Is it an image that lends itself to an older vintage look like sepia? Is it timeless? This technique is best used to invoke a mood or atmosphere. Don't change an image from color to B&W unless you have a justification for it.

Try employing these techniques in your photography over the next week, and let us know how it goes. Do you feel your photography has improved? Why or why not? Feel free to ask any questions. I try to check for any comments daily. Happy shooting!

iPhoneography: Fad or Here to Stay?

Hello everyone! I hope everybody is having a great weekend; I definitely took advantage of the sun yesterday, which is good because I don't know if it's going to really be around today or not.

So for the past 6 months or so, I've been hearing rumors of this new movement in photography, iphoneography. It's basically what it sounds like, photography done with your iPhone. I find this to be an interesting idea. I don't know that I completely see it as a valid form of photography, but people have always said that throughout the years about various forms of photography, so maybe I shouldn't judge. I know there are some photographers who are very into it, and people are even trying to specialize in it. Not to be too much of a purist, but, huh???

So I set out recently with my iPhone in hand to grab a couple of quick shots to see what I could actually do with this. I didn't have alot of time, and if I'm honest, I was distracted by the fact that there was actual sun (been a very gray summer in the NW so far this year). But I digress. I thought it would be best to just show you the results I got, so you can make your own opinions.


So, what do you think? You can only tell so much from this image, but it seems a bit blurry in places,and I have a pretty steady hand.

What are your opinions of iphoneography? Do you think it's a budding new trend in photography, something that will stick around, or just a fad that will quickly wear out? Let me know. Have a great week, and enjoy that sun!

Candace
CND Photography