A Short course in photography: chapter 9

Chapter 9: Seeing like a camera

• no photograph is the same thing as the original subject, every photo is a comment
• black and white is more of an abstraction than color
• photographs can be assembled in a series to tell a larger story
• decide what you want before you shoot
• the eye tends to look to the middle of the frame
• most of the time its better not to put your subject in the middle of the frame
• your camera and your eye always crop the scene
• pay attention to the impact the background will have on your image
• use focus
• dim light or slow film may require shallow depth of field
• chose to blur the background or subject but not both
• photographs traslate three dimensions into two
• what kind of experience do you wish to communicate?
• style hinges on 
• understanding of available tools
• sense of what it is important to use these tools for
• meaning can be reinforced by the way you arrange the subject
• supermarket stretching its mouth
• tiny print: intimacy
• large print: power
• a good portrait captures mood, expression, tells something about a person
• take lots of warm up pictures to get your subject warmed up
• don't ask your subject to smile automatically
• pay attention to the effect light has on your subject
• landscapes:
• what do you want to remember most?
• what's your favorite aspect?
• love horsetail falls, oregon photograph
• return to a place when the light is best
• don't be in a rush to take pictures, take time to look and absorb, thats how you will find the best pictures
• time of day effects more than just light but subject content as well
• indoor spaces always reflect those who dwell within them
• watch for unwanted shadows and lookout for excessive contrast from strong side or top light
• the closer you are to a subject, the less depth of field  you will get
• pay attention to depth of field while you're inside because of proximity to subject
• if you have to close down the shutter speed to compensate for light, use a tripod
• pay attention to all different aspects of a photo
• does the technical side take or detract from the photo
• what is the emphasis 
• where does your eye go
• what kind of photograph is it? what is it trying to convey
• what is the emotional/ physical impact