PHOTOGRAPHY touches human life in many ways.

For example,
photography has become popular as a means of
― The word photography comes from two ancient recording memories.   
Greek words: Most of the billions of photographs taken today are
 photo, for "light," and snapshots--casual records to document personal events
 graph, for "drawing." such as vacations, birthdays, and weddings.
 Therefore, a literal translation of Photography is
Drawing with light.
When a photograph is made, light or some other
form of radiant energy, such as an X- ray, is used
to record a picture of an object or scene on a
light-sensitive surface.
― The process, activity and art of creating still or
moving pictures
OBSCURA  TYPES OF CAMERAS:
―Is the camera image-forming device, 1. Point and Shoot Cameras / Compact
―photographic film or a silicon electronic image Digital Cameras
sensor is the sensing medium. ― viewfinder type camera with added
― Photography is widely recognized as a fine art. focus abilities that make it an ideal
― A photographer creates a picture by a process of camera for vacation and travel
selection. snapshots.
― very simple, straight forward way of
USES OF PHOTOGRAPHY: recording imagery and do not allow the
1. Military, police, and security forces use photographer as much freedom in
photography for surveillance, recognition and decision making as the SLR camera.
data storage.
2. Used by amateurs to preserve memories of
favorite times, to capture special moments, to
tell stories, to send messages, and as a source
of entertainment.

PHOTOGRAPHY STYLES
1. Pictorialism
― is a photographic style that tries to match the
achievement of realistic painting.
2. Straight Photography
― wants to capture things they are, even at the risk
of representing ugliness, revealing the world as it
really is.
3. Symbolism
― is interested in the symbolic meanings their
images evoke.
4. Documentarism
2. The SLR (Single Lens Reflex) / Film
― portrays the world that is disappearing slowly or Camera
quickly. Pictures must be captured at the most ― light passing through the lens is
intense moment.
reflected by a mirror and brought to
focus on a ground glass.
ABOUT TODAY’S PHOTOGRAPHY
― The mirror causes a reversal of the
image seen, but a special device called
 Today, photography has become a powerful means of
a pentaprism flips the image so that it
communication and a mode of visual expression that
 is recorded upright on the film ― Com
negatives. mon
― There are many different brands and
types of SLR cameras.
― Brands include: Pentax, Nikon,
Canon, Fuji, and many more.
― Some of the older models are manual
focus (this is fine!) while newer
models offer both manual fully
automatic options
action cameras like the GoPro can fit in the
3. Digital SLR Cameras palm of your hand, but they’re some of the
most durable and versatile types of digital
cameras that offer very high-resolution
output even while the device carrier is in
motion.
― This type of camera allows you to capture
impressive wide-angle photos and videos
with sound from almost any angle and
― ― are very similar to film SLR environment, whether underwater or on top
cameras of a mountain.
― They have the same settings but instead
of recording your image on film, the
light hits a light sensitive electronic
board
that

360 Cameras
processes the image and stores it on The 360-degree camera takes half dome to full-
your memory card. circle panoramic photos and videos using back-to-
back lenses.
Like action cameras,
some of them are also water
resistant and mountable on
many surfaces, such as on
OTHER TYPES: top of cars, helmets, or
drones.
1. Mirrorless Cameras Above all, they take the
―Mirrorless cameras are the latest in professional most realistic pictures and
cameras videos with stunning panoramic views that you can
―they are basically more compact DSLRs without truly immerse yourself in, virtual reality style.
the internal mirror that reflects light onto the
sensor. Camera Phone
2. Action Cameras
― is a mobile phone which is able to capture Rule Of Thirds – a compositional rule of thumb
photographs and often record video using one or
more built-in digital cameras. TIPS for GOOD PHOTOS
1. Look your subject in the eye
2. Use a plain background
3. Use flash outdoors
4. Move in close
5. Move it from the middle
6. Lock the focus
7. Know your flash's range
8. Watch the light
9. Take some vertical pictures
10. Be a picture director

FILM VS DIGITAL
The great debate on Film Cameras or Digital
Cameras.

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
The term “composition” applies not only to
visual arts, but to music, dance, literature and
virtually any other kind of art. In certain contexts,
such as writing, this term may not be as
widely used, but is just as valid nonetheless.
― “PUTTING TOGETHER”
― making elements and principles work
together
COMPOSITION AND THE ELEMENTS
― “composition” describes placement of
relative objects and elements in a work of
art. Consequently, composition is a key
aspect of a good work of art... “
― A good composition is one that has just
enough detail.
― Too few elements is bad because it robs the
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS: work of art of necessary detail that makes correct
interpretation possible. It also ruins the balance of
Shutter Speed – is a common term used to an image.
discuss exposure time, the effective length of too many elements can be very distracting as
time a camera's shutter is open.  well.
Good composition requires good balance. It is
Aperture – determines the amount of light that is best to make sure all the elements present are
admitted through the opening of a camera. necessary for the idea or story you are trying to
pass on.
Telephoto Lens – also known as zoom lenses, a COMPOSITION is a way of guiding the
specialized lens that is specific to magnifying viewer’s eye towards the most important elements
images from a long distance. of your work, sometimes – in a very specific
Wide Angle Lens – a lens that has a cover angle order. A good composition can help make a
of 60˚ or more, thus capturing images on a much masterpiece even out of the dullest objects and
wider scale. subjects in the plainest of environments.
EVERY GOOD PHOTOGRAPH IS . . . ― Used to create a sense of space and
1. Dramatic : Offering unique storytelling appeal substance.
2. Creative : Shot with various composition 3. SPACE
techniques ― The area used or unused in a
3. Flawless : Having impeccable technical quality composition.
― Positive space (occupied space) – the
area the objects/subject takes up.
― Negative space (unoccupied space) – the
area around, under, through and between.
― Gives the photo a 3-dimensional feeling -
Depth of Field
― Foreground (closest) bottom
STORYTELLING POWER ― Middle ground – middle
― Interesting and intriguing photos . . . ― Background (farthest) – top
1. Cover every angle
― Can be open, crowded, near, far, etc.
2. Freeze action
Atmospheric Perspective
3. Express emotion
a) Objects close = detailed, bright,
4. Show conflict
sharp
5. Illuminate personalities
b) Objects far = blurred, dull/gray
6. Establish relationships
One point perspective
DIVERSIFY STORYTELLING PHOTO
a) One vanishing point
CONTENT:
2 point perspective
1. Action
a) 2 vanishing points
2. Reaction
4. VALUE
3. Scrapbook
― Black and White and all the Grays in
4. Illustrations
between
― Dark to Light
― Can add drama and impact to
composition.
― Can give a sense of timelessness
USING THE ELEMENTS ― Train your eye to read color as Black and
OF VISUAL ART White!
IN PHOTOGRAPHY 5. TEXTURE
1. LINE ― The surface quality.
― A mark made by a moving point. ― How an object feels, or how it looks
― Has greater length than width. like it feels.
― Directs the eye – horizontal, vertical, ― Rough, smooth, bumpy, gooey,
diagonal, curvy, zig-zag, etc. sharp, etc.
― Can be actual obvious lines or the ― Adds interest! Sense of sight and
borders or edges of shapes sense of touch involved.
2. SHAPE / FORM
― A contained area.
― Can be GEOMETRIC (man-made) ex.
Square, triangle, circle, etc.
― Can be ORGANIC (natural) ex. Leaves,
humans, puddles, etc. COLOR
― Shapes are 2-Dimensional and flat. Artistic term is HUE
(circle) Need light to see color.
― Forms are 3-Dimensional with height, Primary, Secondary, Intermediates.
width and depth. (sphere)
 ― Use color schemes to enhance appeal or make
impact.
APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN IN
PHOTOGRAPHY
― The different arrangements – or compositions -
of the ELEMENTS of design to create artistic,
interesting, more visually powerful photographs.
1. EMPHASIS / FOCAL POINT
― Emphasis in a composition refers to developing
points of interest to pull the viewer's eye to
important parts of the body of the work.
― Size, shape, color, placement, contrast, etc.
2. VARIETY
― Variety is all of the different elements in the
photograph
― Variety adds interest to the work and keeps the
viewer’s eyes moving around the piece
3. BALANCE
― Balance is a sense of stability in the body
of work. Balance can be created by repeating same
shapes and by creating a feeling of equal weight.
― Symmetrical
― Asymmetrical
― Radial
USE OF BALANCE
― Many times, a smaller object can counter
balance a larger object within a
composition
― design) automatically please us.
4. UNITY
― Unity is seen in a composition when all the parts
equal a whole.
5. CONTRAST
― Contrast refers to the opposites and differences
in the work.
― You can achieve contrast / variety by using
different elements in your work, such as:
 Shapes
 Textures
 Colors
 Values 
6. MOVEMENT / RHYTHM
― Movement adds excitement to your work by
showing action and directing the viewers eye
throughout the picture plane.
― Rhythm is a type of movement in an artistic
composition. It is seen in repeating of shapes and
colors. Alternating lights and darks also give a
sense of rhythm.  ― Worm’s eye view
PATTERN / REPETITION
An element that occurs over and over again in a
composition.
Can repeat the element in a consistent pattern.
Can repeat the element in a variation of the pattern.
PHOTOGRAPHY COMPOSITIONAL
CONCEPTS
1. Rule of Thirds
― The Rule of Thirds is based on the fact
that the human eye is naturally drawn
to a point about two-thirds up (or
down) a page.
A. Golden Rule (of Thirds)
― It has been found that certain points in a
picture's composition automatically
attract the viewer's attention.
― Similarly, many natural or man-made
objects and scenes with certain
proportions (whether by chance or by
― Leonardo da Vinci investigated the
principle that underlies our notions of
beauty and harmony and called it the
Golden Section.
B. Natural tendency to be drawn to certain
portions of an artwork/composition
― Adds a great deal of interest when
placed:
― At the 4 intersecting points
― One section of the Thirds
― Oppose the direction a figure is facing
2. ANGLES / VANTAGE POINT
― Gives your photograph a unique/more
interesting view
― Drastically different than the usual 5-6
feet off the ground
― Bird’s eye view
 ― Direct approach picture, we can focus on other things the
― Angled approach photographer intends to bring out, like how the
subject rests between the tree trunks that frame him,
― Close up
his greater gesture of how he stands beyond the
― Long view expression on his face.
― In photography, vantage points referBIRD'S
to EYE VIEW
the perspective (high angle, low angle, A bird’s eye view need not literally be taken
straight angle etc.) in which photos are from up in the sky—it just refers to a shot where the
taken. For many of us, we tend to shoot camera is positioned above the subject being
photographed.
at eye-level and rarely think to lay on
In this shot, the cacti were below the
the ground or hover over our subject. 
photographer, and the shot reflects this sense of
― Vantage points are a great way to looking down.
practice perspective and make us aware This shot would look different if taken from the
on how our body is position during a same level as the cacti flower buds—it would
photo shoot. become a direct shot at that point.
WORM'S EYE VIEW
Worm’s eye view shots are often fun to shoot—
point your camera up to the sky, or up in any case
and see what you can find! If these sunlit leaves
were at the same height as the photographer it
would look completely different than looking at
a. LONG-SHOT them from this vantage point, where the subject is
― The long-shot, the opposite of the close-up, it clearly above the camera.
allows the photographer to step back and frame FRAMING
from afar. Think about how this photograph would Direct the viewers attention to the primary
be different if the bird was zoomed in—the picture subject
would not be about the bird as part of a larger scene Creates the illusion of depth
—it would just be about how that bird looks. Long Can obscure unwanted objects in
shots are great for capturing larger scenes, or for foreground/background
capturing how a subject looks in a larger Can be naturally occurring
environment. Tight framing
b. DIRECT SHOT Wide framing
― Sometimes the focal point of your image is front Using an object as a frame
and center, and this is when you can use the direct
shot.
― It is clear what the subject of the photograph
is, the brown plant past its prime, an Elements Principles CONCEPTS
early bloomer perhaps stripped of its Line Emphasis Rule of Thirds
colorful flowers while the colorful ― Shape/Form Balance Vantage Point
flowers in the background sing, but (birds eye,
remain where they are—in the worms eye,
background. direct)
3. PROFILE ― Space Unity angles, close up,
long view
― A profile shot features the side of the
subject, as opposed to the front. It’s easier to ― Value Contrast Framing
understand this concept with a portrait of a ― Texture Movement/ Silhouette
person’s face or body turned to the side. Rhythm
― In this shot, the expression on the man’s ― Color Pattern/ Dutch Angle
face is evident, though no longer the focal Repetition
point because his head is turned away. Economy
Because his expression is not the main focus of the  Framing the subject
 ― Use the edge of the scene to draw
attention to the subject.
7. SILHOUETTE
― Conveys drama, mood, mystery
― Simplifies a busy composition
― Place your subject(s) in front of an
interesting light source
8. DUTCH ANGLE
― Horizon line is angled
― Creates a more dynamic composition
― Creates feeling of disorientation
― Canted, Oblique, German, or Batman
angle

SUMMARY