This weekly post has everything you need for completing this week’s self-paced content and readings, plus an outline at the end for what’s covered during class meetings. This week we’re covering the basics of how photography works, which involves light and time. We’ll look at composition techniques you can use in your own work and use to describe why certain photographs are visually compelling. We’ll also look at light and the components of exposure.
If you are also enrolled in Com 320 (Visual Communication), this week’s material is designed to align across classes since these are important concepts for both courses. If you’ve taken Com 320 in the past, you may also see some photos you remember.
Photo Composition
Photo composition is an important part of making and selecting high-quality photos. Although composition “rules” aren’t really rigid rules, it is helpful to have a shared vocabulary for discussing the compositional merits of individual photographs. Watch this video lecture that introduces different composition techniques and problems to watch out for:
Next, watch this short video from a series about introductory photojournalism from the Everyday Africa project:
Review & Reflection
- If a photo makes use of a composition rule, does that guarantee it will be a good photo?
- How do composition choices differ when the subject includes motion and movement vs. still objects?
- What are examples of how you might combine composition techniques in a single photo?
Understanding Exposure
Exposure is about getting the proper amount of light into the camera. This video lecture shows how exposure works.
Review & Reflection
- What are the three components of the exposure triangle?
- What is a potentially negative effect of using a slower shutter speed to allow more light into the camera?
- What is the effect of using a wider aperture to allow more light into the camera?
- Why is it considered a last resort to use a high ISO setting to photograph in lower light?
Finding Natural Light
Photojournalists almost always use natural light, meaning light that exists in the environment. This is different from photographers who work with artificial lighting in studios or other settings. Despite the old-fashioned stereotype of news photographers snapping away with flashbulbs, most photojournalists avoid using flash or introducing any type of artificial lighting that wasn’t already in the scene.
Watch this video interview with National Geographic photographer Bob Holmes. The way he describes different kinds of lighting and approaching different situations is very much what professional photographers talk about if you get to tag along on a shoot.
Review & Reflection
- Why does he say that the camera gets in the way?
- What does he mean by Rembrandt light vs. Vermeer light?
- What is the golden hour? Why is noon or midday a difficult time for lighting?
Monday
• Labor Day – no class!
Wednesday
• Preview of week’s materials
• Photo critique: Washington photos with composition notes
• Going over this week’s assignments
Friday
• Going through readings
• Discussion: Exposure scenarios