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Nature Photography Tips 2 – The Rule of Thirds Continued

In the first segment of our nature photography tips series, we discussed the rule of thirds and several of you said it had helped add life to some of your existing photos. The rule of thirds stated very simply is to place the main horizontal and vertical lines on the lines in a grid dividing your viewfinder into thirds.

What if the subject has no lines, but is only a single object in relatively plain field? Could the rule of thirds still apply? You bet it could. Take a look at this grasshopper on a concrete slab. It’s a nice clear shot, but really is nothing to write home about. There’s no excitement in it at all. Maybe it would be appropriate for a textbook on insects, but you sure wouldn’t put it on your wall, right?

I actually had a photo with a rather wide expanse of concrete, and the grasshopper in the middle, so I was able to crop it freely later. I tried moving to one of the intersections in the rule of thirds grid. After a bit of experimentation, I settled on the lower right intersection.

Here it is without the grid. Go back and look at the centered photo, then look at this one again. (Remember, if you click on the photos, you can see a much larger image.) I was amazed when I compared the two side by side. I still may not put it on my wall, but at least it looks like a plain grasshopper is something worth taking a picture of. There is tension, movement, and a sense of potential. It looks as if the grasshopper is just going to hop away, instead of simply existing.

Nature Photography Tips:

Again, go through the photos on your hard drive. Find one or two that have a single subject on a plain field, and start experimenting with the subject’s position. Use this knowledge the next time you are photographing something of this nature, but remember, rules in art are sometimes best broken. Use your own judgment. I often take two or three photos with different placements so I can decide later which is best.

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Nature Photography Tips 1 – The Rule of Thirds

Today we’re starting a series of Nature Photography Tips. The first few lessons will be about lines and placement. Once we learn these rules, we’ll be able to take great pictures every time and we’ll know why they are great before we ever push the shutter.

If you’ve taken any art courses at all, I’m sure you’ve encountered the Rule of Thirds Like all rules, there are times when it should be broken or bypassed, but if you take a few minutes to understand and experiment with this one simple concept, you’ll be amazed at the difference you see in the quality of your pictures.

The rule of thirds is very simple. Just divide your viewfinder into three equal sections both horizontally and vertically. You can simply imagine this, or you may find that there is an optional guide already installed in your viewfinder. Many cameras have this feature.

Nature photography is often centered around a horizontal or vertical line. When we take a picture of the ocean, mountains or sunset, we tend to place the horizon right in the middle of the viewfinder, but this is usually a big mistake. Why? Because a picture that’s divided down the middle tends to be too symetrical, resulting in little or no emotional reaction for the viewer.

Placing the horizon on either line in your rule of thirds brings the shot to life. It results in just enough tension in your photograph to force the viewer to look at your content both above and below the line. Which line should you use? Usually the scene you are focusing on will answer that question for you, but if you can choose either, remember this rule of thumb. Place the horizon on the lower line if you want a feeling of openness and expanse. Use the upper line if you want to express strength, motion or excitement.

If there is a vertical line as well, try placing it on or near one of the vertical lines in your rule of thirds grid. Sometimes there is a path of light from the sun on the water, or a tree you’ve decided to include for interest. It should serve to cut your photo in thirds.

This is one of my favorite photos of all time. I’ve always wanted a kayak of my own, so for me this photo represents all my goals and dreams, more or less like the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Sad to say, I didn’t take it. I found it online on an AP news site. Let’s analyze it and see if it uses the rule of thirds. At first glance you may say no, it breaks the rule. After all, the
strongest line in the photo is the shoreline, and it’s definitely in the middle.

Even when we add the grid for reference the relationship isn’t immediately apparent, but take a closer look. The photographer has chosen to use both lines. They aren’t exactly lined up, but it’s close enough to achieve the desired tension. The bottom of the clouds in the sky, and the top of the clouds in the reflection divide the photo neatly into thirds.

The vertical line is a bit more subtle. The kayaker is a bit too far to the left to say that the photographer was thinking about the rule of thirds. But wait. What is the actual subject of the picture? Is it the kayaker? Perhaps not. I don’t really think the sunset is the main subject either. Perhaps the photographer was thinking on a deeper level of ideals and spirituality, and wanted to convey his feelings about the moment. If so, we could say the subject of the photo is joy in solitude, oneness with nature, and, since it is labeled to be a sunset rather than a sunrise, a deep sense of satisfaction toward the end of life. What then would be the focal point? Not necessarily the kayak or the kayaker. The main point of the photo is the moment when the paddle – an extension of the man, meets the burning golden water – a metaphor for all those lovely intangibles I just mentioned.

Take another look. That point where the paddle meets the water is very near the intersection of the two lines. This serves to naturally guide your eye to that point, and lead your subconscious to recognize that the the artist was trying to convey something deeper than just a pretty picture.

Nature Photography Tips
Now that you know the rule of thirds, try going through your photo files, and cropping a few of your photos to follow the rule. You’ll be amazed at how your pictures come to life. Also, try thinking about this concept the next time you take a step back to capture that amazing sunset, or shining beach.

Getting a Snapshot Portrait Worth Framing

I’m sure we all have many chances to whip out a pocket camera and take a quick snapshot portrait of friends and family. Usually these opportunities are in less than ideal conditions, and quite often the subject isn’t exactly happy about having their portrait taken just then so if you’re anything like me, most of your snapshot portraits are not something you’d want to put on the wall. Their only value is to help you personally remember the moment.

I had an opportunity like that at a Chinese restaurant last week. I went to lunch with two sixth graders who had worked on a speech contest with me and their mothers. After we all took a group picture, I asked the boy if he would mind sitting for a snapshot portrait real quick. Of course he would mind. What 12 year old boy wants to sit there while his English teacher takes his picture? But he really is a forbearing kid, and reluctantly agreed.

I knew I only had a matter of seconds to get it right before his patience wore thin. I tried natural lighting first, but since I had no tripod, it was just a blur, so on went the flash. Next I just asked him to say “swimming.” (I hate having people say “cheese” – must be where the expression “cheesy grin” comes from.) That was a disaster. His eyes were squinted to nearly closed, and he had a painful grimace that would have convinced you he had appendicitis.

There are three really beautiful qualities about this boy. His hair’s always standing on end like an oriental version of Tom Sawyer, he has a quizzical half smile on his face much like the Mona Lisa even when he’s being serious, and his black half moon eyes fill up a huge part of his face. I think in order to take a successful snapshot, you really need to stop and think about what makes that person beautiful or unique, and try to capture it.

In this case, I couldn’t emphasize the hair. The flash made it blend into the background. So I asked him not to smile (the smile would be there anyway) and to look up. He promptly pointed his whole head at the ceiling, and all I got was neck, so I asked him to look down, and then move only his eyes up to the ceiling. Viola. It wouldn’t win a photo contest, but it captures this particular boy’s strengths, and when I showed it to his mother, she nearly wept. I’ll be giving her a print, and I know it will be displayed somewhere, even though it’s only a quick snapshot portrait with a pocket camera in a dark restaurant.

Now if only I had asked him to fix his collar…

An Experiment in Subject and Framing

Here’s an old Japanese house I liked with a field of persimmon trees in the foreground. I think it gives a great feeling of gracious and slow country living. There’s a big problem with it, though. As soon as I had taken it, and looked at the result, I had to ask myself, “What the picture is really of? (click pictures to enlarge) Is it a photo of an inviting old Japanese house with persimmon trees in the foreground? Or is it a picture of persimmon trees just ready to be harvested with a teriffic background?” I can just see me handing it to someone and hearing the inevitable question. Yes, and what are you trying to show me?

So I stepped back and used some of the persimmon leaves as a frame. I like this better. The stone wall defining the field adds to the rural Japanese atmosphere, and the leaves form a triangle of light directing your eye up to the window — and persimmons. Ah, there’s the same problem rearing its ugly head. What is the picture actually of? The house, or the fruit? I decided to zoom up on the window. I would miss the stone wall, but perhaps it would help to define things.

That helped. But this is definitely a fruit tree shot. I wanted the house. I finally realized I wasn’t going to succeed at getting both, especially in this instance, where it was a whole field of trees to contend with. I gave up altogether, and focused on the house next door.

Now this is much better. There are still a few persimmons peeking out among the leaves. You would never recognize them, but they add just a touch of orange to make the wood appear warm and inviting, and break up the heavy green. The vines curl around in the foreground, and add a playful sense of motion, and it is now unquestionably a photo of an old Japanese farm house with an enormous tree in the background.

Now if only it had been a clear day, and the sky had been blue…