THE JOY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

By  Bruce Morgan

As we begin the new year we are also beginning this new column on Photography. We hope to be able to give you new insights into taking better photographs. A major highlight in future issues will be a question and answer section titled “Snap Shots”. Just send your questions to me and I will answer them for you.

Photography is one of the fastest growing leisure time activities in the country today and it is the rare family that does not have at least a point and shoot camera. Many of you also have either a 35mm SLR or a digital camera or both. (Future columns will focus on all of these formats). You shoot photos of vacations, family activities, scenery, babies, holidays, birthdays and many other things to numerous to mention. Photography can be fun and you can take better photographs. As I look at the photos my friends take I see one area that could use improvement no matter which type of camera is being used:


COMPOSITION.

Composition is nothing more than how we see a scene and how we photograph it for others to see Remember the viewfinder is your photographic link to the world in front of the camera.. And what you see in the viewfinder is what the picture will look like. I would prefer to compose in the viewfinder rather than have to do it with photo software or in a darkroom Here are a few rules to keep in mind:

- Pick out your subject and fill the screen with it.

Too many times the subject is too far away in the final photograph. I am reminded of being in the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta in’96 and seeing all the flashes from thousands of point and shoot cameras from way back in the stands. I bet most of those photos were thrown out because the subject could not be seen. How many times have you taken a photo of a family group and been disappointed because the subjects were too far away? Don’t be afraid to move closer or to use the zoom function of your camera or telephoto lens if you have one. You will be happy with the results.

-Frame your subject.

When you are taking a photo of scenery frame the image with a tree or bush or something in the scene that will provide depth to the picture.