Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/11/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Graham - You're right, of course: Wow! first, analysis later. You echo something my son, who is a writer, says about writing. All the techniques have to become intuitive if you're going to write (or as you say) photograph well. Many thanks. Regards, Dick Boston MA >From: "Richard S. Taylor" <r.s.taylor@comcast.net> > >Subject: Re: [Leica] #399 > > >> Graham - I don't often comment on your posts because, well, frankly, >> I tend to be struck dumb by your landscape photos, they are so >> enjoyable. This one opens up the possibility of comment though. >> It's a picture my eye wants to stay with and roam through. >> >> As I said in an earlier post, I've been rereading a set of notes >> about composition and am struck by how often the photos I like the >> most contain, and use effectively, multiple geometric compositional >> elements. >> >> [Boy, don't I sound pedantic. Maybe it's just a phase. This is >> rediscovery for me. :-)] >> >> Leaving the tonality aside for the moment, which is very nice, I'm >> struck by the diagonals in decreasing angles of the tree branch, the >> line of clouds, and the line of trees in the distance. Also, the >> wet spot at the bottom of the frame forms a triangle pointing into >> the picture. The fact that the cloud diagonal passes through the >> far cluster of trees on its way to the lower right corner of the >> picture adds a further element. The dark line of bushes at the >> bottom is yet both another line and one that seems needed to "ground" >> the picture. (I tried cropping it off and the picture goes a bit >> dead, at least for me, without it.) >> >> There's so much for the eye to do. It's no wonder we want to linger. >> >> I'd like to ask you the same question I asked earlier. Are you >> consciously aware of these elements as you shoot or is it all second >> nature now? >> >> Thanks. >> >> >> >Leica M6 : 21mm Elmarit : orange filter : Kodak T400 CN >> > >> http://www.geebeephoto.com/2005/05399.htm >> > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >------------- > >Hi Richard, > >I did not consciously consider all of the factors that you mention. When I >take a shot I usually have the luxury of time. Time to consider and alter >viewpoint (within limits), time to change lenses and have another look with >different perspective, time to tilt and pan the camera left and right, time >to take a good look around the viewfinder. When the scene in the viewfinder >looks good to me I press the shutter. That's it. > >It is entirely possible, probable even, that the process of examining the >geometry, alignment of elements within the shot etc are happening without me >knowing and what looks good to me is the end result of me unconsciously >taking account of those things. I just stick to basic rules of composition, >I'm not pushing back any boundaries or pioneering any new techniques . > >I imagine when you first looked at the shot in question that your decision >as to whether you liked it was an instant decision without you necessarily >knowing why and that your decision pre-empted any analysis as to why you >liked it. Same process as me taking the shot :-) > >Thanks for looking and your thoughtful comments. > >--Graham > > > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information -- Regards, Dick