In an earlier post that you can find here I wrote that I wanted to learn some photography skills. To this end I am initially focusing my learnings on Jodie Coston’s free online photography course. Lesson one was entitled Composition And Impact – It’s A Beautiful Photograph, But Do You Know WHY It’s Beautiful? This lesson focused on how to take a good photo, eg the rule of thirds, get in close, leading lines etc.
To tell you the truth I think I need to spend a bit more time on this the first lesson! The “assignments were to take an abstract photo and to take several photos of one thing from different view points. Yesterday (Sunday) I got out in the snow and took a few photos. They don’t exactly fit my assignments but put a bit of thought into them so I’ll try and illustrate why.
So I was out and about while it was snowing (lightly) in Matfield.
Matfield Village Green
This was one of the first photos I took on the village green, When I took this photo I really didn’t like it but now seeing it on the PC it is growing on me. The subject of this picture was the Village Green sign. Normally I would just look at something and photograph it dead centre, here I tried to think about it more and position it off to one side ala “rule of thirds”. I also like how the tree comes into the photo on the right but that was just luck!
The Post Office
The road into Matfield
Above are two images which focus on the cycle route 18 sign. I have seen many pictures which take a seemingly ugly object but the positioning and background makes it into a brilliant photo. When I first bought my camera I walked round Matfield taking pictures of everything including the Post Office all completely centred and straight on. This Post office image I have tried to break up by placing the cycle route sign in the foreground. Not sure its a great picture though. The next photo It of the same sign from a different angle. I quite like this image, you have the sign on about a third of the picture and the road creating a “leading line” through the photo. I’m not sure whether the snow storm improves the photo or distracts from it.
Finally nothing to do with me learning photography (because I hate this last picture) but the obligatory “it’s snowing” image! After an aborted trip to work, don’t think I got out of second gear in the car and then was turned away from the train station I have spent the day working from my home office keeping warm with copious cups of tea. Though a beautiful view out of the office window!
From my office window