Exquisite Canine by Doggy Bow - Holiday 2013 | Page 17

Photography & Doggies I love photography! And what better composition to photograph than our darling doggies! You will find some even love the camera! Over the years I have learned a few things through trial and error and by taking LOTS of photos. There are no specific rules to photography, but there are some guidelines that can help capture that perfect shot! Once familiar with these tips you'll realize just how universal they are! You'll begin to see them everywhere. 1) Rule of Thirds - Imagine your image is divided in 9 equal parts by 2 horizontal and 2 vertical lines, looking like a tick tack toe grid. The guideline goes that you should position the most important element of the image along the lines or intersecting points. This will add interest and balance to your final photo. 2) Balancing Elements - By placing your main subject off center, as by following the rule of thirds, a void in the scene may make it seem empty. Balance out the elements by including another object or something of less importance to fill that emptiness. 3) Leading Lines - Our eyes naturally are drawn to lines. By planning how you place lines in the composition, you can pull one into the photo, toward the subject even like a journey through the scene. Be creative with straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag lines. The possibilities are endless! 4) Symmetry & Patterns - Symmetry and patterns, both natural and manmade, are everywhere. Including them into your images can be eye catching. 5) Viewpoint - Before I even begin a photo I have often thought out it and where it will be shot. Our viewpoint brings "our" impact to the composition. Change up the standard viewpoint. Try capturing from above, ground level, from the side, from the back, greater or shorter distance. This really brings a "story" into your photo. 6) Background - A camera has the tendency to flatten the foreground to background, loosing the subject to a busy background. Look around you for plain natural backgrounds that wont detract from the subject and be creative! 7) Depth - Our human eye naturally sees depth, but photography is twodimensional. Create depth in a photo by including objects in foreground, middle ground and background or even overlap objects. Framing - Look for objects for natural framing, like trees, archways. Place these on the edge of the photo to frame the subject in composition. 9) Lighting is key! - The use of light in a photograph can be the deciding factor of whether that picture will be spectacular or terrible. The sun is one of the best sources for light, but there are some rules for outdoor.