Brandl-+Barwick

Brandl-Barwick

What is important about focus? How do you get good focus in a digital slr photograph?

When focusing it is truly important to take time to focus the camera, otherwise subjects turn out blurry. When using auto focus, it’s usually just best to hold the camera still to get a quality photograph (in regards to focus). When a camera encounters an object with complex layers, the auto focus may not be able to see all the small differences, and the subject may turn out blurry even though depth of field, lighting, and all the other rules of photography may have been obeyed. In events like this, it is best to manually focus the camera.

Explain in your own words what depth of field is and why it's important to understand when shooting photos.

When using depth of field while taking a picture it’s important to make sure that you have a good perception of your depth of field. Depth of field is the distance you are away from your subject which might mean that you are taking a picture of a flower in your yard. Depth of field is really important while taking the photo, you have to make sure that you aren’t too close to your subject that it is blurry or you can’t make out what it is. For example the flower in your yard, if you get close to one of those little colorful petals, in this case if it is yellow, then people will wonder what exactly it is. Then you also don’t want to be too far away so you can’t make it out in the distance, which might happen if you take a picture of that yellow flower from your window while it is in the very back of your yard. The best way to take a picture of your subject would be to stay an arm's length away which gives you good enough distance away from it while you are still close enough that you can make out the detail in your subject like all the tiny flower petals on the yellow flower.

What is the exposure triangle and why is it important to making quality photos? (HINT...there are 3 parts to the Triangle make sure you explain all three and how they relate to each other and making a good photo.)

When it comes to taking a picture the exposure triangle is the most important part of taking any quality picture. The three elements of the exposure triangle consist of aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Without these three elements together each would have a great effect on the picture being taken and in the end it wouldn’t turn out to be a very good quality picture. What do these elements do? After reading the websites after researching I got the concept of looking at them like a window working together. The first element would be aperture, this element would be the glass window which when there is a bigger opening of the window showing the more light would be able to come through to make the room brighter in the room inside. After aperture comes shutter speed, this element will be the shutters outside of the window. These shutters act like a curtain in front of the window so the longer the shutters are open the more light comes in but the shorter time they are open the less light will come into the room. Finally comes ISO, ISO would be like the sunglasses on your face inside the room. While you are wearing those sunglasses in the room the density of the light coming into the room will seem lower in brightness. In this case it is a lower ISO that will be used. So when all together these three elements of the exposure triangle can’t work without each other, when one element is missing from the picture then the rest will go wacky. So in the end it is important that you make sure that each exposure element is balanced and is working for your quality photo taking.

What are the 5 compositional techniques we use in photography? EXPLAIN don't just list.

The first of the five compositional techniques used in photography is the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is used in nearly all traditional and most digital forms of art. Just as it sounds, you visually in your mind (or find a graph) cut the picture up into thirds both horizontally and vertically. In total there should be nine boxes, and four points of intersection. By placing the subjects (or focus) at one of the intersections, it them creates a more complex/ visually appealing photograph as opposed to placing the main focus in the middle. When placing the subject on one of the intersections versus the middle it is called an informal balance (or asymmetrical).

Secondly there is framingis the compositional technique when you use elements in a picture to help frame a subject. Popular examples include tree branches, hallways, arches, doorways, ext. When using framing you make your subject more prominent, however this method paired with a unfocused photograph can take away from the subject and just be a distraction. The third compositional technique would be filling the frame. When filling the frame you obviously need to let your subject fill the frame, and the best way to do this would be to make sure you know your depth of field, as well as zooming in works well- but if you’re too far away it won’t matter. The reason people may used this compositional technique is because it can be more interesting to see the subject without extra clutter in the background which can distract from the subject. A key to make sure is when zooming in, is not to cut out something you meant to leave in.

The fourth compositional technique we learned would be making sure you have a level horizon. The easiest way to make sure you have a level horizon and that the horizontal line makes a straight line across the frame. The reason you do this is because diagonal horizon lines will cause tension and confusion, and they may also confuse the viewer at what they are looking at. The fifth and final compositional technique is leading lines, which is the most basic element of design. The leading lines are used to create interest in the image, and lead people into the picture. When using leading lines artists can point the viewer to the main focus or subject. Leading lines can also cause changes in mood, for example diagonal lines create tension and drama where curved lines create harmony and gracefulness.

Which lighting techniques come from natural sources and which come from artificial? When would you use one vs another?

Natural lighting comes from the sun, or is filtered sunlight on a cloudy day. The moonlight (or sunlight) coming through the window, and firelight also count as natural lighting. The time to use natural light is when you are aiming for a softer look. Artificial lighting is a flash on a camera, studio light, spotlight, or a light from a lamp. Artificial lighting is typically used as a fill light, but when used alone it creates harsh shadows.

In terms of lighting what kinds of light sources do you already have experience shooting photos with? Explain.

Some of the lighting sources I have done while shooting photos is usually just using natural resources which mainly consists of the sun a lot, the moon and the firelight. I sometimes also use artificial lighting like lights inside the house or in a building. I haven’t used any big white umbrellas or white sheets for shooting with bounce lighting and I also haven’t used fill light, dramatic lighting, and a studio light source which could be a spot light or a strobe light too. ~Jenna Brandl

Most of the lighting that I have used to capture photographs has been natural lighting either by sunlight or candlelight. When I capture photos inside I try to let in as much natural light as I possibly can, however when I am forced to use artificial lighting I typically use a lamp, since my phone flash is broken. I have never used the big white umbrellas or the sheets, and I think I have personally never done anything with bounce lighting, fill lighting, dramatic lighting, or studio lighting. - Ashley Barwick