Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jorg wrote: <<Sorry this got so long. I am speaking from my heart:>>>>> Hi Jorg and Kati, No need to apologize, that's the way the best things are written: from the heart! :) <<<<<Therefore I am looking for those 'recipes' or set of rules that makes it more likely to get a good picture.>>>>> Jorg it is very simple after you learn the basics of picture taking in relation to people: Light -- eyes -- action of subject. Light being the most important, as that is the motivating factor that we see on the subject. Action because that is a motion that catches our eyes to something happening and what the eyes of the subject are illustrating. The light is an easy rule to learn and see, "Shoot from the shadow side!" That is rule number one! And if you watch for that in all your picture taking you'll find it works about 99.99999999999% of the time for an effective photograph. Remember what I said about, "We hear with our ears, but we listen with our eyes!" And that is one of the basics of whether it's a posed picture or real time and the people have no idea you have taken their picture. <<Sometimes the music flows and sometimes it's not as fluid, but we still recognize the melody.>>>>> That is just as true with taking pictures as it is with music. Some days you can't take a bad picture, everything is just flowing along and the camera is hot from the exposures being shot. Hardly a bad one in the bunch. THEN THERE ARE THOSE DAYS WHEN..........aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! And you can't even get the film in the camera right or hell you forget to load it! :) I don't believe there is a photographer who has 365 days of perfect picture taking. And if there is I'd sure like to know who he or she is.:) <<<I would like to learn to push the shutter release at the right location at the right time.>>>>> This comes from experience, how you are feeling personally, the action going on around you. The more you shoot the odds are in your favour you are going to get better! And that's a fact of photography. What's important is, don't work at it too hard and not in a severe method manner, because if you do your pictures are going to look stilted, boring and contrived. An important factor is how you feel about what is motivating you. Does something catch your eye and you say, "gee look at that!" and you are motivated by some visual element. It doesn't have to be some big flashy spectacular thing, it can be a small leaf floating on a pool of water or a reflection in a window or metal. When you are using your eyes and you "feel something" that's when you press the button! You heard me say. "I'm not technically minded or driven in how I take my pictures." The truth is, experience creates the technical part without me even knowing it's happening, but it is the "feeling" of what I see, that drives me to press the button. There really aren't any recipes or rules that one can learn beyond what I said earlier, "Light -- Eyes -- Action! Once you start to see these elements, whether you are taking pictures or not, then your pictures will get better because your experience of seeing things will make you a better photographer. Remember most people use thir eyes to avoid banging into telephone poles or kicking garbage cans. When you see how the light is lighting a subject or scene, ask the old "Am I on the shadow side?" question. Work at that and soon you'll press the shutter release at the right time because you will feel the image and be motivated. Takes time Jorg, just work at it and soon it'll be happening without you even knowing you're doing it! :) I'm getting long winded here and probably still haven't answered your question. But I hope this helps give you some of the magic formula you are looking for. kind regards, ted PS: this is a tag on: <<<I am yearning to be more consistent and I believe that the recipe is: learn the basic rules of composition and practice, practice, practice. What else is there?>>>>>> And you knew the answer all along! :) You know what to do and you've said it. So get out there and start practising! :) Have a good one. :) T