Editing Software

Hey all! I don't know if it's OK to post this here (if not, I can move it), but I just thought I'd share this (another) blog post I found on good free photo editing software. Obviously Photoshop is the "king" hence it's cost, but here is the list of good (free) Photoshop alternatives in case you're interested:

http://www.thephotoargus.com/freebies/11-outstanding-free-alternatives-to-photoshop/

Lines. Margot.

So, I finally got a new camera and haven't been able to use it too much. These were taken with my point and shoot and aren't new pictures--I'm a total cheat.

I can't remember in which direction this was shot originally. So you can decide which you like better.

This one was originally tall but I thought I'd see what happened when I cropped it to the sun. I like it both ways but for different reasons. I'd also like to know how to take pictures with the sun that don't have large colored glares (the pink top right of the sun). Anyone know how?

Lines: Kim

So, I tried taking pictures of lines without people, but I just wasn't happy with how it turned out. I really like it when people are in my photos too....

Here are a few of my recent photos of people with lines involved:

This was a teeter totter:


Pretty bridge:


Awesome fence:


This is such a busy time of the year, but oh so fun! Maybe I'll try to get more creative and expand to non people photos...I'm just not as good at the artsy, abstract stuff...and I don't enjoy it quite as much.

Composition: Line

Lines guide our eyes through a photograph and can help shape the feeling of the image. For instance, your eyes follow the curve of this tendril along its path to the center, conveniently located in the top left-ish third of the image:


We attach meanings to certain types of lines. For instance, horizontal lines--horizons in particular--create a feeling of stability:


while vertical lines create a feeling of strength, power, or growth:




Vertical lines can be tough to photograph. You'll notice in most of my examples above, the lines aren't completely parallel to the edges of the photograph. It's pretty much unpreventable when taking pictures of tall things, so just be aware of it and try to keep the vertical lines parallel to one edge or the other, or pointing in the direction of a focal point in the image.

Diagonal lines can be either positive (extending from bottom left to top right) or negative (extending from bottom right to top left). This one has both (which is common):


In this image, two positive lines intersect a negative line formed by the right hand side of the wall. Although positive lines dominate the image, the fact that they are all diagonal gives the picture a feeling of being off-balance--very appropriate for the Museum of the Holocaust.


Here, a negative line, formed from the line of the wing to the arm of the statue, lends the picture a melancholy feel:


Here's the assignment: focus on using lines effectively in your pictures over the next two weeks (there won't be a new assignment next week due to thanksgiving). Try to take pictures of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. Decide if you like positive or negative diagonal lines better (at least this week). Again, as you watch TV, pay attention to the images, particularly how they use lines to draw your eyes to the focal point of the image.

Good luck, and post at least three images in the next two weeks.

Commenting

Alright, I'm not the best about this either (obviously) but we all need to comment on one another's work. So, this week I want everyone to make a critical comment on everyone else's post. By critical I mean a comment that analyzes the image in some way, not one that says your picture is terrible. For example, (and as a segue into the next lesson) the curving line of the road heading off to the right really gives the image a feeling of going somewhere, which I think makes it a stronger picture. In comments, be polite, but honest--we're all looking to improve, not just be told how wonderful we are already.

Thanks!

Rule of thirds: Kristine

I apologize--it's been a rather busy couple of weeks. Here are my submissions for rule of thirds:


This one only follows the rule of thirds in that approximately the bottom 2/3 of the image are taken up by cake.



In these two, my daughter is pretty clearly in the top right 1/3 position. I particularly love the action and the expression of joy on her face in these.

Somewhat by way of explanation, my brother in law got married yesterday and I've been madly getting things done so I could leave for the weekend. Here are a few pictures I took at the wedding:

Rule of Thirds- Sarah

Okay, does anyone else find it VERY hard to take pictures when it's so gray and rainy all the time? The lighting in my house isn't great, so I kind of bank on good sunlight, and when we don't have much of that, I don't take many pictures (not to mention that we have even less hours of sunlight to start with!). So, as a result, I didn't take a ton of pictures this week. Here is one of the cute kids in my kids preschool class on our trip to the Fire Station (I did take pictures of my own kids, but the didn't turn out that great in terms of the 'rule of thirds').Although he is towards the center of the picture, there is enough negative space to the right that is used to give context to the picture.

And here are a couple other pictures that I took in late August that I thought followed the rule of thirds.Here his hand, while some what centered, takes up about 2/3's of the picture.

p.s. I promise to take current pictures for the next challenge!