For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

I know it is a long shot and feels like GAS but trust me! When you start doing that, you suddenly start seeing stuff which you hadnt. Our eyes tend to ignore a lot of details, it is basically a process of generalization where it is trying to make sense of the world around us.

A photograph is worth its salt because it was able to show something which our eyes normally missed. The only way this can happen if you feel your photography. These rules are of no use otherwise!!

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

 One of the most basic rules of photography. Imagine that your image is divided into nine equal segments by two vertical and two horizontal lines. Try to position the in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect. Doing so will add balance and interest to your photo.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. , and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back, from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

*kids photo; portraits or group pics

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Always taken against a lit background. Ensure that you do not point directly at the light source. If you do so, you will tend to miss the details in your subject. Silhouettes is not an exact science. It is an art and the more you experiment, the better you get at it.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

2.

3. 4.

Usually at sunset, the sun causes the sky to be at its brightest for a greater contrast between your object and the sky. This is the best time to take such shots. This is when we talk about natural silhouettes. Use a relatively big subject so it creates a more drastic effect then a small insignificant subject. Use a narrow aperture (high f/stop) so the camera captures the whole scene with a high depth of field so everything is in focus.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

By thinking about how you place lines in your composition, you can affect the way we view the image, pulling us into the picture, towards the subject, or on a journey 'through' the scene. Curved lines add elegance and style to the photograph. Different types of line - straight, diagonal, curvy, zigzag, radial etc - and each can be used to enhance our photo's composition.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Vertical lines draw the viewers eye either upward the frame or to the depth portrayed in the photograph. Huge architectures, strong trees, etc stand erect commanding awe owing to its vertical dimension.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Horizontal lines are apt for portraying horizons. The horizontal lines are directional; they guide the eyes to a certain direction and add third dimension to the image; They depict evenness and symmetry

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Diagonal lines heighten the activity and movement. Diagonal lines divulge and diverge quick attention to the viewers perspective of a long leading path. It perfectly portrays the sense of movement. Diagonal lines may serve the purpose of placing your subjects diagonally in the rule of thirds.

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An S-curve is simply a curve of some object, line or path in the image that curves back and forth horizontally as you proceed vertically, much like the letter Sin fact, usually exactly like the letter S. While applicable to any style of photography, one of the most common uses of the S-curve is in photographing the landscape. We usually read left to right. When composing a S-curve shot, try to start the curve at the left and at the bottom of the image. The curve should ideally move up. If it is horizontal, it loses its appeal. Use a high F-Number to keep everything in focus. You want the eye to discover all the details as it keeps moving up the curve. S-curves often seem to contribute a sense of depth to a landscape image. Play with other curves too. Use spirals if you can find one. Be creative!

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

One of the most difficult things to convey in a photograph!! I have already elaborated the use of Out-of-Focus method. I shall illustrate it a little more.

Create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle

ground and background. Another useful composition technique is overlapping, where you deliberately partially obscure one object with another. The human eye naturally

recognizes these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an image
with more depth.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest. Things for which frames can be used: 1. Giving the photo context 2. Giving images a sense of depth and layers 3. Leading the eye towards your main focal point 4. Intriguing your viewer.

Frames bring attention to a subject which otherwise the human eye might have missed!
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Observe how I used the doors/entrances to frame the monasteries. Such a tight frame brings instant attention to the subject, the monasteries in this case. Also it shows the frame of reference of the photographer. You can tell that I was standing outside the door when I first saw the monasteries. Using such methods helps

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Few more. Note the use of hands in the portrait.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

 We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made, and they can make for very eye-catching compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

 Often a photo will lack impact because the main subject is so small it becomes lost among the clutter of its surroundings. By cropping tight around the subject you eliminate the background 'noise', ensuring the subject gets the viewer's undivided attention.

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

Items needed: 1. A camera capable of long exposures. Remember that long exposures suck life out of your batteries very quickly. So keep a set of backup batteries. 2. A tripod. Probably the most important item! 3. A flash light. Get LED torches in varied colors if you can. Else, get cellophane paper. Wrap it around the flash light and play with the colors. 4. A dark location. 5. Set your camera on the tripod and take a sample shot with flash / lights on. This will help you verify that your composition is OK. 6. Set the exposure to a relatively long value. Set ISO somewhere around 400. If your flash light is bright, you may need to bring down the ISO. If it is of low intensity, the ISO may need to be bumped up. Experiment to get the settings right. Avoid burnt out images. 7. Now, for the actual shot, turn off the flash, set a long exposure, click and get working. The video links will help you understand how. 8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mpDz1pZPvU&feature=related 9. Look at the following sites for inspiration http://www.digital-photography-school.com/25-spectacular-light-painting-images

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla

For PiXL- Ayush Shukla