Understanding Composition for CG (And Photography)

Composition is one of the hardest things to master in photography. Part of what makes it so difficult is that it’s hard to move objects around until they result in a powerful composition (Like when you wish a building wasn’t in the background of your shot for example). Computer Graphics artists don’t have that same limitation. Everything in the scene is something they put there, and as a result they can manipulate the composition in ways that photographers can only dream of.

In this video, Computer Graphics artist Andrew Price demonstrates how to use Contrast, Leading lines, Geometry and Focal Elements to create strong compositions. It’s set up for CG artists, but the same ideas and rules apply to Photographers, or really anyone working in visual arts.

Understanding Composition for CG (And Photography)

Little kids as old People Photoshoot - Retouched by Amy Dresser

Photo Illustrations By Zachary Scott, Retouched by Amy Dresser

I love the concept and execution of these Photographic Illustrations by Zachary Scott. If I had kids, there would be so many pictures like these of them, it would be ridiculous. I heard about these from my favorite retouched, Amy Dresser whose work is never short of amazing. The series was done for an article in the NY Times about mental aging, and I’m having a hard time coming up with a better idea for images to accompany that subject than these. Just amazing work all around. I highly recommend Amy’s work, and have just discovered Zachary’s porfolio, and it’s definitely worth a look as well.

Little kids as old People Photoshoot - Retouched by Amy Dresser

Using Gobos to create "New Spaces" in your studio

This technique covered over at DIYphotography is one I’ve been exploring a lot lately. It’s actually how I set up this shot, from about a year ago:

copyright 2013 * Tim Lewis Photography

It’s fun, but hard to do well with speedlights. I’d recommend either continuous lights or something with a modeling lamp in it if you want to explore this idea further. It helps you see what you’re doing right away, instead of having to chimp in closer and closer with each picture.

DIYphotography did a really good job explaining it and showing all the possible effects, so I’m just going to leave it to them… check out the whole article, it’s pretty great.

 

Using Gobos to create "New Spaces" in your studio

Headshot for Jon Davies

Copyright all Rights Reserved 2014 Tim Lewis Photography

I was hired recently to build a website for a psychologist here in Eugene, Dr. Jon Davies. Of course, he also needed a headshot for the site, and luckily I was able to provide him with one. Jon wanted something a bit more casual than a formal headshot, so I set up something like a big white box for him to stand in. Really big, soft light bouncing around from every which way was the key to this shot, which came out really nicely. The finished image has an almost ring-flash type glow to it, even though I didn’t use my ring flash at all. I’m very pleased with how it came out.

Headshot for Jon Davies

Shutter-Drag the Landscape

Looking for a more abstract way to capture your surroundings? Check out this post by ePhotozine! Basically the idea is to set up a shot with a long-ish shutter exposure and then move the camera while the shutter is open. This usually results in a dragged-out-streaky image, which can be really cool and evocative (like the one above). I used a variation on this technique in this picture, with very controlled continuous lights being shutter dragged to create all of her “necklace-sparkles”:

It would be more of a challenge to create something in a broader landscape with a portrait worked in there. So the background is abstract, but the figure is (mostly) sharp. That could be quite a challenge, for sure. It’s something to think about.

Shutter-Drag the Landscape

Camille Veil

Copyright all Rights Reserved 2014 Tim Lewis Photography

I was playing around in the studio, trying to find ways to add motion to my shots when I started shooting a dropped piece of gauzy veil-like material. The light coming through it was interesting, and I thought I might be able to use the material to create some leading lines within my composition. So when Camille came over to shoot, I set up a fan and had Camille’s friend drape some material over her head. The fan added a good deal of motion to the shot, and the fabric wound up framing her quite nicely. It’s a fun trick, and one I’m definitely going to revisit sometime in the future.

Camille Veil

Grandpa

Copyright all Rights Reserved 2014 Tim Lewis Photography

This is a picture I took of my grandfather last week. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to make before I went to take the picture. He’s always been a very central figure in my family, and I wanted to convey strength and resolve with this image. So I waited until the sun was setting, then I had him look toward the sunset, knowing this would make him squint (and look more determined). Then I dropped down for a low point of view (making him seem larger than life and imposing), and shot two frames with the sky and clouds as the background.

I wanted to use the same ideas going through the post processing, so I chose a square format which often creates a very locked-in feel. Then I cropped to include just his head and shoulders, which created a triangle effect:

Triangle

This is a really old painting technique. Kings were often posed into triangle compositions, since a triangle is a very stable visual element. Using it in this way emphasizes that he’s stable, indomitable, and immovable — All of which were related to the idea of strength I wanted to get across with my picture.

This picture means a lot to me, I’m glad I got a chance to make it.

Grandpa