Composition - The next step

Learning how to use your camera is just the first part, the next is learning how to take a photo.

There are rules to taking photos, but the rules are more guidelines and don't always work in every photo opportunity.  I have read numerous books, searched the internet and watched videos but still find that many of the examples photographers use are pretty useless to me.

I just don't see their photo composition the way they do.  Maybe that's because many photographers are a little too strict with the rules...and maybe those rules only exist to me once it's been pointed out in the photo.

So I'm adding two Youtube links to this post that I found very interesting.  Note, you do need quite a bit of bandwidth to play with but I am also including article links for those who can't Youtube for an hour or more in one go.

With the digital age people don't think about the photo they are taking, it's more a case of snapping away to get as many photos as you can.  While many readers here just want to enjoy taking a photo, you will get to a point where just taking a photo isn't enough if you carry on with photography.  You may even start to feel that your photos are uninteresting, maybe even crappy and wonder whether or not you should even bother.

You should, because, as you can see in Scott Kelby's video, it just takes a few adjustments like changing the angle to get better composition.  You will also see that no matter how good someone is at photography, they will still take crappy photos at some point.

Look at it this way, if you could only take film photos and the film was extremely expensive, you would think more about your composition and what the photo was about.  You could even try this out with a Fujifilm Instax Camera, which uses film and does need some thinking over before pressing the button as each photo is fairly expensive (but a very cool gadget on my wishlist).

If you feel that your photos are just not getting there, use the tools in the videos e.g. think about why you were drawn to that scene, what sparked your interest and work on that.  Photographers gets days where inspiration is non-existent and nothing seems to work, almost like a Writer's Block.

If you seem to be stuck with that block, frustrated that no matter what you take a photo of nothing seems to work, then just sit and look around you.  Forget about taking photos for a job, an assignment or to impress someone.  Forget about taking photos because you think you must.  Just look around you and if you see anything interesting, don't take your camera and take a photo.  Think about how you would frame the photo and why, what's interesting about that scene, does it get you excited about taking a photo etc?  Naturally, if it's an action photo, go for it :-D.

It's so easy to press the shutter button that you can get bored just as easily.  If you actually pay attention to your surroundings, see where your eye follows and if it makes you itch to take a photo, then photography will be more interesting and the inspiration greater.

Here's hoping you have a great photographic experience with the Samsung NX300 (or any other camera you may have) in 2015.

Article on composition
Youtube - Scott Kelby on Composition
Youtube - B&H

I'm working on an opportunity to use the Night modes in Auto Mode, let's hope that pans out soon lol.