Themes
All of our monthly competitions are Open this year and all entries MUST have been taken on or after September 1, 2009. This years themes are designed to help our members become better photographers with the freedom to select the subjects they find most fulfilling. Our themes focus on the elements that make for good photographs. From beginners through salon, you will find something that challenges you as you explore these basic principles. Be sure that your entries in each monthly competition focus on the assigned theme for that month. See "About Us" > "When We Meet" for exact dates. All competitions are conducted at the East Brunswick Public Library.
RULE OF THIRDS
This rule is the basis for well balanced and interesting shots. It can apply to anything: landscapes, macros, people (except the classic portrait). Do not place your subject (main focus of interest) in the center of the frame. Instead envision a tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder. Position your subject where two of the lines intersect to achieve a pleasing photo.
SIMPLE COMPOSITION / MINIMALISM
The saying "less is more" is often true in image composition. The photo is often more beautiful and effective if unnecessary elements are left out of the frame. A common mistake is to try to include all possible things in one photo. It is often wise to include only one clear center of interest into the photo. When you are taking a photo, you should check if there are any distracting elements on the edges of the frame.
FOREGROUND FOCUS / SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD.
Depth of Field is a description of how much of your photograph is in focus. A shallow depth of field simply means that one specific area of your photo is tack sharp while other elements remain blurred.
One of the greatest uses of DOF is to single out your subject while at the same time reducing the effect of distracting background clutter. This can be used in almost any style of photography. Portraits, sports, photojournalism, close-up and macro all use shallow DOF extensively. The basic rule is that if you want something to pop out, use shallow DOF.
You need to experiment, but the easiest way to achieve this effect is to use a large aperture (low f-stop number like f2.8), use a longer lens, and zoom in or move closer to your subject.
FULL DEPTH OF FIELD / Keep Everything in Focus
Very common in landscape and waterscape photography where everything must be in focus.
The easiest way to achieve this look is to use a wide angle lens, a small aperture (F16 to F22), and manually focus about a third of the way into the scene. Check the corners of your viewfinder for extraneous and out-of-focus areas. The best landscapes & waterscapes have a foreground subject to anchor the scene, as well as a middle ground and background to show dimension.
LEADING LINES / "S" CURVES
Diagonal lines are great for leading the viewer's eye into the picture. A road, a fence, or something similar coming in from the bottom left corner does a wonderful job of leading the eye straight to the subject of the photo. “S” curves are pleasing and do the same thing.
This is an especially powerful technique to draw the viewer's attention to one or more intended subjects or a single focal point.
Note: Since people read from left to right, it’s best to start the line or curve in the lower left. Do not lead the viewer out of the photo.
FILL THE FRAME / TIGHT CROPPING
There's an old adage in photography that says if you want to improve your photographs 100%, move closer. The one sure way to keep from including too much extraneous information in a photograph is to fill the frame with your subject and nothing but your subject. Filling the frame from edge to edge leaves little doubt about what your intended target was.
The simple act of making your subject bigger in the frame involves the viewer at a much more intense level. A chin-to-forehead portrait of an interesting face, for example, immediately puts the viewer eye-to-eye with your subject. A very tight shot of a bear—even if you made it with a long lens at the zoo—creates breathless drama.
A common problem is we often think we're filling the frame when in fact we're not even close. What's happening is that when you're standing in front of a scene, you're concentrating so intently on your subject that your brain is tricked into thinking your subject is closer than it actually is.
As soon as you think you're close enough to your subject, take a few steps forward and try again. Just before you snap the shutter, roll your eye around the frame and see if there's anything you can eliminate. When in doubt, take a few more steps or zoom in closer.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LIGHT- (Back Light, Side Light, Shooting at the Golden Hour)
Lighting can be the most important element of a photograph. For this competition you need to use back lighting, side lighting, or shoot at the golden (magic) hour.
THE GOLDEN HOUR
The golden hour is the first and last hour of sunlight during the day, when a specific photographic effect is achieved by the quality of the light. Typically, lighting is softer (more diffuse) and warmer in hue, and shadows are longer.
In the middle of the day, the bright overhead sun can create too-bright highlights and dark shadows. Because the contrast is less during the golden hour, shadows are less dark, and highlights are less likely to be overexposed. In landscape photography, the warm color of the low sun is often considered desirable to enhance the colors of the scene.
You will achieve much more pleasing photographs when shooting at the beginning or end of the day.
BACK LIGHTING
Our 2 Glennie winners this year were backlit. Back lighting is more difficult, but you can get nice silhouettes and translucent effects if done right.
Back lighting, is when the sun or light source is coming from behind the subject.
This type of lighting will help create sharp edges and dramatic lighting effects, but without proper exposure the subject may turn out dark. Using a flash in situations like this, even if it is bright outside, can help bring life and detail back into the subject.
Extreme back lighting will result in a silhouette. If this is the effect you are trying to achieve, the subject(s) must be well defined. Simple subjects work best.
SIDE LIGHTING
Interesting effects can be achieved by changing the angle of the light falling on your subject. As you turn your subject, change the camera viewpoint, or wait for the sun to move, the light falls more on one side, and more shadows are cast on the opposite side of the subject. For pictures in which rendering texture is important, side lighting is ideal.
You can use the light coming in through a window to side light a person, pet, still life, flower, etc. Or you can use an off camera flash or reflectors.
DRAMATIC LIGHTING
Film Noir was famous for its use of carefully-placed highlights and shadows to create dramatic effects. For this competition, the interplay of light, dark, and in-between regions of the image should add substantially to the composition. Your photograph should include a wide range of brightness levels, with good detail throughout (appropriate to the needs of the composition). This theme is NOT about clever use of software gimmicks."
