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Photography 1: The Art of Photography
Photography 1: The Art of Photography
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Photography 1:
The Art of Photography
Written by
Michael Freeman
About the author
Michael has produced a unique series of guide books for the digital
photographer and this is published by ILEX, who are digital media
specialists.
1: A way of seeing
Introduction
Learning from professional work
Equipment versus image
The equipment you will need
General advice
Getting to know your camera
Project 1: focal length and angle of view
Project 2: focus with a set aperture
Project 3: focus with different apertures
Photographing movement
Project 4: shutter speeds
Project 5: panning with different shutter speeds
2: The frame
Looking through the viewfinder
Project 6: fitting the frame to the subject
Project 7: objects in different positions in the frame
Project 8: recording a sequence
The angle of view
Project 9: focal lengths
Project 10: focal lengths and different viewpoints
Dividing the frame
Project 11: balance
Project 12: positioning the horizon
Project 13: the golden section
Frame shapes and sizes
Project 14: vertical and horizontal frames
Cropping
Project 15: cropping
Assignment 1: the theory and practice of contrasts
3: Elements of design
Introduction
Points
Project 16: defining a point
Project 17: positioning a point
Project 18: relationship between points
Project 19: multiple points
Lines
Project 20: horizontal and vertical lines
Project 21: diagonals
Project 22: curves
Using lines in composition
Project 23: implied lines
Shapes
Project 24: shapes
Project 25: rectangles
Project 26: real and implied triangles
Project 27: real and implied circles
Rhythm and pattern
Project 28: rhythms and patterns
Project 29: applying the elements of design
4: Colour
Introduction: the history and properties of colour in photography
Project 30: colour control
Project 31 analysing a colour
Making a slide library of colours
Project 32: primary colours
Project 33: secondary colours
Colours in real life
Project 34: black and white and grey as colours
Colour relationships
Project 35: colour relationships
Project 36: warm and cool colours
Colour filters in black-and-white photography
Project 37: filters with black-and-white film
Assignment 2: colour
5: Natural light
The raw material of photography
The intensity of light
Project 38: measuring the intensity of light
Project 39: using faster film and higher sensitivity
Project 40: using a meter
The colour of light
Project 41: your eye’s sensitivity to colour
Project 42: judging colour temperature
Dawn to dusk
Project 43: through the day
Project 44: low sun
Project 45: picture count
Project 46: choosing the moment
Project 47: twilight
Weather
Project 48: cloudy and dull weather
Project 49: graduated filters
Project 50: rain
Assignment 3: applying what you have learned so far
6: Artificial light
Introduction
Available light
Project 51: tungsten lights
Project 52: tungsten film/tungsten balance
Project 53: fluorescent lights
Project 54: outdoors at night
Photographic lighting
Project 55: light intensity
Project 56: softening the light
Project 57: the lighting angle
Project 58: contrast and shadow fill
Project 59: concentrating light
Project 60: shiny surfaces
Project 61: making the best use of built-in flash
Assignment 4: applying lighting techniques
Early morning sunlight gives additional vibrance to the contrasting colours in this
façade of a colonial mansion in the Mexican city of Merida.
Complementary colours: the relationship between the orange and blue areas is
softened by the intervening neutral fawn.
Complementary colours: although the 2 hues are pale in the dawn view of fishing
boats, the persistent harmony of yellow and violet creates a calm feeling.
Contrasting colours: the juxtaposition of green and pink form a strong focal point in
this photograph of a Kathakali dancer. This shot also illustrates the value of on-
camera flash which usually works best on a subject with strong colours or tones.
Contrasting colours: the classic primary combination with roughly equal areas of red
and yellow and a greater area of blue which, being darker in tone, adds to the
intensity of the other 2.
Contrasting colours: even though they are separated by more neutral hues, the
intensity of the 3 primary colours is still evident in this study of a Balinese fishing
boat.
Contrasting colours: here the dominant green acts as a setting for the limited areas of
primary colours.
Contrasting colours: apart from the contrast in hue, the green, blue and orange
share a similar quality of desaturation. This helps to make a coherent image.