Sometimes the composition is more interesting than the subject.

What makes us push the shutter? It isn’t always the subject that interests us.

I took this macro shot of a snail shell in an autumn leaf in my garden. The draw for me is purely the combination of shapes and colours. It really appeals to me.

Advertisement

Leading the eye

Still experimenting, this time with leading the eye around using shape and colour.

The first photo uses the trunk of the tree to lead down to the leaves and circle then up through the scattered leaves to the bit that shouldn’t be there at the top. I tried cropping it but couldn’t work out why I didn’t like it as much with the brown bit at the top gone. Then I realized it was because it finishes off the circuit. Unfortunately it makes it weird so it is a photo conundrum. Oh dear.

The second shot I took because it ‘felt good’. I noticed that W’s socks with the orange toy drew attention then my eye wandered down the yellow quilt edge to the car toy. From there the same blue in the socks completed the circuit. The colours (blue, yellow and orange) were a classic split complementary combination. The vibrancy really helps make an otherwise ordinary shot interesting.

I love colour. July will be the start of my Colour Photo Series. July will be – Red.

BLAM!!! Draw attention in composition

I just decided to check what the photography tips for composition Number 2 was (see below) – it can be found here in this list.

2. Draw attention to the subject. This can be done by simply getting closer, by using selective focus, by using color, by lighting just the subject, by framing the subject in a doorway or window, etc.

and I had taken a photo this morning after a windy night that fits the rule pretty well, so I have added it as my first No 2 composition photo.

A beautiful mess after the storm.

This Maple leaf stood out to me when I went out to get some photos of the front yard completely covered with leaves from the Cedar tree. We don’t own a Maple tree. I have no idea where it came from, but it ended up nestled amongst the begonias and certainly stood out as not belonging to our garden if nothing else!

May Photo Challenge – 31. something beautiful

Farewell May Photo Challenge, it has been fun and EYE OPENING! I had hoped to find the most beautiful place on my drive to Murray Bridge today and photograph it. It is still in my mind this photograph, a small cottage in a rural gumtree setting with smoke coming from the chimney and hovering around the ground in black and white. I will find you one day and photograph you!!!

Anyway, I did see many beautiful things on my drive…but my baby was asleep in the back and sacrifices had to be made, namely that I couldnt stop or he would wake up. Oh dear.

I decided it would be OK because I was going to the Murray River which is beautiful and there would be plenty of photo opportunities. When I got to the river front my OTHER son fell asleep AND the riverfront was…um uninspiring. Perhaps there is an outstanding river front there somewhere, but it was NOT where I was.

So I took a photo of the bridge which I thought had interesting lines.

Then I decided to find a playground to have lunch in Mt Barker on the way home and I did think these leaves were quite beautiful so I took a couple of shots.

I was getting desperate by now and decided to stop into Hougton on the way home thinking it is one of the most beautiful little places I know (I have SEEN mist sit in that valley). I found an old windmill, but couldn’t get into the field to photograph it properly. I ended up with this

and this,

Interesting, not particularly even good photos! Then I tried this thinking that it was a lovely building and colours.

The last one I am sure I am supposed to hate the shadow in the foreground, but I don’t. I tried cropping it to get rid of it, but I don’t know, what can I say? I like it.

So, at the end of that I didn’t really feel like I had found anything especially beautiful and as the final in the May Photo series, I was disappointed. I didn’t really want to submit ANY of them as the thing I found to be beautiful.

Then, 1 hour ago, I found this in the bath.

Perfect.