Photography! It’s wicked nifty!

So…what is photography all about? Photography is important to our yearbook because it allows for better design in the book, is visually interesting (as well as the first thing you see when you look at a spread), and most importantly: THE YEARBOOK IS A PICTURE BOOK!

Where to start? Realize that good photographs follow different rules. Good composition, knowing your subject material, and finding the right angle are all components of getting a great photo.

Good composition Remember the rule of thirds. Imagine there’s a tic-tac-toe board drawn over the photo. The lines of the board should cross over visually interesting material within the photo.

Need an example? http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/441207605_282f6cbdcd.jpg

Composition In addition to the rule of thirds, composition is changing with tightly cropped photos. These photos don’t just eliminate the background, but slightly cut-out some of the content.

Look! I’m the example! See how some of my face is cut out? And how both my eyes cross through the lines on the rule of thirds? That’s what makes this a good photo; it’s good composition. (And it’s of me!)

Framing plays a role, too! Using a frame in the photograph helps tell a story or adds visual interest. For example, my good buddy Alex Tucker plays drums. Look at how I told his story.

The drum set actually frames his face, and him holding the drumsticks is a nice touch.

Finding the right angle… Get down on the ground, stand on stools, peek around corners, snap the photo from the side. Get creative and have some fun with it! A good photo tells a story; you can’t get a story when you’re acting like a tripod.

E X A M P L S

It really makes a difference… Alex playing chess…

Or-- Alex playing chess…

Hopefully this slide show helped you better find your eye for photography. All these photos were taken for a point and shot, and any starting photographer could have taken them. It’s just knowing your photography rules.