Geometry in composition

Leading lines

A leading line leads the viewers eyes from one part of the image to the another. They lead the viewers eyes deeper into the photograph. Diagonals and curves tend to make the best leading lines.

Frame within a frame

having a frame within your frame helps to focus the viewers attention on your main subject. It usually has to cover at least two edges of the photograph and leads the viewers eye deeper into the picture.

Diagonal lines

Having diagonal lines in a picture makes it more dynamic. Horizontal and vertical lines will mostly split the picture up, whereas diagonals will connect it. Diagonals are often used as a leading line, which causes the viewers eye to move around inside the frame. This will also give a sense of perspective and depth to an image.

Triangles

When trying to compose a photograph, using triangles can make it stronger and more dynamic, the viewers eye is led from one corner, to the next, then back to the start again.

Circles

When you use circles in a photograph, the viewers eye will follow it round more than once. this means that they will be able to appreciate the circle itself, and whatever is inside it.

Repetition

Repetition usually works best with at least three or more repeated patterns or objects. A repeated pattern is very useful for leading your eye through the frame.

Negative space

Negative space is the part of a photograph that has no subject matter in it. Negative space can be used to make an object seem big, small, or in a wide open space. When using negative space in your composition, it is crucial that you get the balance between subject and space right.

The rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is derived from another rule called the 'Golden Mean'. This rule states that the main subjects in a photograph should lie at the 'intersecting points' made by splitting your photo up into thirds, vertically and horizontally. This will make your photograph more interesting to look at.

Creating a lith print in photoshop

A lith print is a silver gelatin print that has been over exposed and partially developed in highly diluted lith film developer. Lith print developing in the darkroom takes a long time. The prints often achieve tones that are impossible to achieve without toning and sometimes are only possible using the lith printing process. However, instead of doing this in the darkroom, the lith print effect can be re-created using photoshop. I researched how to create a lith print in photoshop and had a go at doing one myself. 

This is a screen grab of my finished attempt. A lith print is commonly identified for it's pinkish-orange colour, which makes my attempt a success. I will have to try to perfect this process as i like the resulting effect it has had on my image.

To make this image, i first had to open the hue/saturation dialog and select colorize. I then had to set the hue to 353, and the saturation to 18...

Next, i had to split the image into two layers so that the contrast effects could be created independently. To do this i had to right click the background layer and then select 'duplicate'.

Next, i had to go into 'input levels' and pull both the highlight, and the shadow sliders toward the centre. This increased the bright whites and solid blacks in the image.

Next, i had to select the background layer and open the levels, pull the output levels highlights and shadow sliders to the center. This will create a low contrast layer.                                                                                                                            

Finally, i had to merge the effect of the two layers together by using a blending mode. I did this by selecting the copy layer, then choosing the soft light blending mode.

The process was then completed.

My digital images

These are an example of the digital street photography that we did. I have edited two of the images in Adobe Bridge. These are the originals...

And these are my edited versions...

I have converted the images into greyscale, and then made slight adjustments to the colour balance etc...

This is a screen grab of one of my images as i was editing it. This shows the changes i have made to this photograph. I have also added a slight vignette around the image. The shelter at the top of the picture is a leading line to a vanishing point. This will lead the viewers eye into the photograph, helping them to appreciate other details that may well have been overlooked had the leading line not been present.

Shallow depth of field

Shallow depth of field is where one particular object in the photograph is in focus, and everything else is out of focus. This is achieved by setting your camera with the widest aperture (f2) and focusing on the object you want to be in focus. Here are some examples...

Wide depth of field

Wide depth of field is where everything in the picture is equally focused. This is achieved by setting your camera with a really low aperture (f16) focusing your camera, and capturing the image. Here are some examples...