Composition considerations | Photography VLOG #12

[@musiqueetmontagne]

Thanks for uploading today's video, I know exactly the space you are in. I was like this recently and what got me out of it was a weekend in a different environment. I had a couple of days in the mountains, a place I hadn't been to for years, and was blessed with snow on the tops, bright , frosty weather with amazing skies and and cloud formations. There were ancient Oak trees in the valley and the whole scene reinvigorated me, I just shot loads of photographs trying new compositions and settings. Some worked, some didn't. It taught me to be more relaxed about the whole process, just enjoyed being out and shooting.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you! "just enjoy being out and shooting" is what I will remind myself of over the coming weeks!

[@MikeKatona]

Edward Weston said it best: "Composition is the strongest way of seeing." I interpret that to mean the simplest way of seeing a subject by eliminating all unnecessary components. IMO we waste too much time worrying about such things. When we have been photographing for any length of time, we approach a subject and move around it a little until it just feels right, then we make our photograph.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Mike! Agreed! When it works the best for me in terms of composing, I have a feeling I am working more intuitively than anything else! A bit difficult to put on a formula 🙂

[@stefanbadass5357]

This is the second time I watched this Frederik. I, like you, have no answers, only questions, about composition. I appreciated the description of the fence being blown off the wall. Perhaps we need to let the wind blow through us rather than against us....in our search for compostion.

[@frederikboving]

🙏🏻👌

[@kimc5750]

A really beautiful walk and area! I remember an Ansel Adams interview close to when he died. He was excited about what equipment would be available in the future. We have too many choices I sometimes believe.

[@frederikboving]

It's a good reflection. I sometimes wander what Ansel Adams would have been able to do with a 40mp digital camera and photoshop, but I guess we shall never know!

[@tonyb2760]

At around the 8:15 mark I noticed two trees that crossed each other over the path in the background. With a telephoto lens there has to be an image there with the evening light. Thanks for sharing

[@frederikboving]

Well spotted Tony! Noted! Will come back on that one!

[@fepatton]

Here in California we say, "Well, we have earthquakes, but at least we don't have hurricanes!" 😂I think you're saying that many images look the same because too many of us are following the same rules, perhaps too scrupulously. Some people will lay down rules of composition as if they are, in fact, _rules_ that must not be broken. But this is supposed to be art, so it should be more about _your_ vision than someone else's rules. I was watching a video the other day where the person was saying he was happy that people recognized his work even before seeing his name, because that meant the look was his. Cheers!

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Fred! Yes, looking at some of Ansel Adams work, I am never bored. Looking at Henri Cartier Bresson, I am never bored. But some of the more landscape photography that current photographers produce (myself included) basically bores me tremendously. I find it funny how all the rules and textbooks about composition have not been able to capture what it actually was HBC and Ansel did. Or that when you follow all the rules, you don't arrive at their level of quality. I have been going over 400 of Ansels images recently, and the discipline and consistency in the quality is simply mind blowing. So yes, it is probably wise to forget all the rules and just go with your own vision, and remember to enjoy the shooting as well!

[@kimc5750]

So beautiful. Rules of composition are meant to be broken on occasion.

[@frederikboving]

Indeed. They should be called guides or suggestions and not rules.

[@garymc8956]

Nice vlog; guy walking around talking. Few can pull that off but you did, very effective and well filmed. As to your question; I’m currently exploring some of those issues by limiting my shooting to a fixed focal rangefinder type camera, this one’s a Fuji X100. Thinking maybe going back to a basic approach will help with some of the fundamental aspects in making quality images.

[@frederikboving]

Thank you Gary! Noted! Sometimes limiting yourself with a prime can actually be a way to find new ways of working - will definitely keep that in mind!

[@garymc8956]

I’ve become a little nervous seeing your anticipation over IGOOP and hoping that I didn’t over-sell it in recommending to you. A good share of it discusses print film photography thirty years ago and more, and while it is related to my experience, it may seem out of date to many. But I do hope you find it universal in the majority of the book that deals with the philosophy, ethics and psychology of outdoor photography.

[@frederikboving]

@@garymc8956 No worries Gary! I am very interested in the part that discusses the psychology of photography, and should a bit of film know how be necessary to get to that part, then I will certainly survive!

[@bfs5113]

I believe some photographers are confused with Leading lines that lead the viewers' eyes to the subject with just Linear perspective parallel lines that converge in a single vanishing point to create an illusion of 3D on a 2D surface. As such, we often heard some creators and worst, wedding photographers said, "there are the leading lines" and placing a subject(s) in front of two rows of parallel lights/trees or pathway. Whereas, they were capturing images against a (picturesque) background that was symmetric, balanced and offered a linear perspective illusion. Thus, I wished to know how do leading lines that lead the viewers' eyes AWAY from the subjects help in the composition? For sure, I believe most of them knew the difference but just careless with the lingo. Just as another creator brought up that there are manufacturers (e.g., Canon RF 50 F1.8 STM, Sony E 50 F1.8 OSS, Sigma 50 F1.4 EX DG, Tokina 50 F1.4, etc.) use Fn or fn (whole number) instead of f/n (a fraction) for aperture value in their lenses official packaging and/or documentation. Thus, are their 50 F1.8 lenses the same as other's 50 f/0.55 lenses. 😂

[@frederikboving]

🙂

[@bfs5113]

@@frederikboving I have a new love that replaced the Z9, a 3D printer. Just like a kid with a new toy and learn something new daily.

[@frederikboving]

@@bfs5113 🦾

[@ggdfggdfgdffgfddg34]

Друг что насчет дерева? Лестница помогла снять шедевр?

[@frederikboving]

Not yet! It will take some courage to carry a ladder into the woods!