A to Z of Photography » Ronan Palliser Photography

C is for… Composition

Feb 132012

Are you sitting comfortably? No, really, sit down! Because this could take a while. Even though we’re only on part 3 of 26, it’s quite possible that this is going to be the longest part of my entire A to Z reference guide to photography, because no doubt about it, but composition is one of the most important and wide ranging concepts in photography. It’s also, perhaps, one of the harder ones to grasp, and most definitely the hardest to perfect. So whether you’re a novice photographer or an experienced one, there’s probably no harm in taking time out to go through some basics concepts, rules, suggestions and guidelines that underline a well composed photography. And when I say “taking time”, well let’s just say that pretty much this entire blog post makes up a lecture I give four times a year to Dublin Camera Club’s beginners’ course – a lecture that takes an hour and a half. So you have been warned. The good news, though, is that there are lots of photos below. Lots and lots of photos in fact. Let’s get started.

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B is for… Background

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Jan 302012

Over the course of this A to Z series, I hope to introduce beginner photographers to maybe four concepts that they can use to improve the standard of their photography practically over night. The first of those comes in this, part 2 of 26, as we hit the letter B, and share a visual conversation about the often overlooked part of the photograph – the background.

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A is for… Aperture

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Jan 162012

In the beginning was A, and the A was for Aperture. And as starting points go for a series all about photography, it’s not a bad one. When we take photographs, whether we are advanced photographers or newbies, we usually want our images to be well exposed, and to be acceptably in focus in the right places. And of all the buttons and dials, bells and whistles that our cameras might offer us, the ones that control the aperture are the ones that play the biggest role in helping us achieve this aim. So if we are to take photographs that we are happy with, it seems logical to understand the topic of aperture. So let’s begin.

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Introducing an A to Z of Photography

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Jan 122012

The new year is often an excuse to begin a medium- or long-term project of some sort. This isn’t unique to photographers, of course, but it’s not rare to hear of a fellow photographer starting a personal photography-based project at this time of year. Common ones include:

The 365 – take one photograph a day for the entire year (I guess this year it’d be a 366!)
The 52 – take one photograph a week, usually along a specific theme (e.g. 52 self portraits, 52 macro images etc.)
100 strangers – photograph 100 people you’ve never met before, finding out a little about them as you do so
Photo Friday – complete the challenge announced each Friday on the photofriday.com website

I decided near the end of last year to undertake a photography project for 2012, but I wanted to do something a little different to those above. What I had in mind was something that would be a useful exercise for me as a photographer, but also a useful resource for visitors to the blog. And bearing in mind my inclination to write the occasional “educational” post on some aspect of photography on this blog, I thought it would be a good time to start a new series of blog posts for 2012. A 26-part series, in fact. Introducing An A to Z of Photography, which starts here next Monday, and will continue every other Monday up to 31st December, 2012. And yes, I know what some of you are probably thinking, which is why I need your help. Read on to find out how.

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