video and photography composition tips and thoughts

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the bridesmaid attending to the bottom of the bride's dress is not at first apparent but on a second look becomes obvious

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by quickly stepping back and pulling away from the usual composition (not masked in red) I was able to get a less obvious shot

I could easily chose to hide/discard the bridesmaid by zooming in or stepping closer (I was using a prime lense) by including the bridesmaid in the bottom of the frame  leads to a more interesting composition because the eye is drawn to the bride looking into the mirror (following her eye-line( a deceiving visual route))

Tags: delay in composition, prime lense, visual route for composition

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frames within frames used with care and imagination

seeing the framing device created  just had to hope he kept his posture until I got the right expression on his daughter’s face using timing and patience  to lead the viewer’s eye into the picture.

Tags: frames within frames, leading the viewer's eye into the picture

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precise focus for composition of this wedding ring

just checking I could

Tags: precise focus

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surprising composition at wedding first dance

joined hands perfectly in focus of this wedding couple having their first dance as newly weds, also got great eye contact and perfect framing for this photo taken at Wainstone Hotel, Great Broughton

Tags: Great Broughton, surprising composition, Wainstone Hotel, wedding first dance

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Spontaneous composition of this bride doing last minute checks

composition is much about timing as all the other components, this being my first shot of the bride doing some last minute checks…

Tags: bride doing some last minute check, Spontaneous composition, timing for composition

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using natural lighting and metering

fortunately I had great natural lighting at this wedding most of the time *sometimes it worked against me* but was able to spot metre and do some exposure adjustment to get this shot straight out of the camera. I have used the strong sunlight coming in to lead the eye into the picture.

Tags: exposure adjustment, using natural lighting

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fisheye camera twist

thought I would try something new here…radial camera blur,I had bagged quite a few good fisheye lense confetti shots so just before it was nearly over I gave the camera a twist…I think it adds to the chaos and adds a certain dynamism to the composition.

Tags: blur, fisheye, fisheye camera twist, radial, radial camera blur

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here I have used a foreground element as a cropping device

in taking this natural wedding photograph of one of the bridesmaids doing her last minute checks I have delibrately used the wall to run a crop down her arm and back thus aiding composition of her profile and slimming her down…

Tags: aiding composition, crop down the arm, natural wedding photograps, using foreground elements as cropping devices

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composition in the briefest and luckiest of moments

Not to sure how this parting of wedding guests happened but it was only there for the briefest of moments before being filled with well wishers approaching the groom * was frantically fighting the camera settings to get this one and only just got it*. The space  between the guests gave me the perfect visual route to the groom, so when composition happens accidentally  you literally have to grab that shot….

Tags: momentary composition

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Exposing for moving subject in shaded area and strongly backlit

I’m so glad that we photography weddings using  Panasonic L10’s, it has excellent spot metering and focus capabilities, and you seen any changes to compensate for exposure as you do them…allowing you to take good natural shots in difficult lighting conditions…here I have run a hard crop on Bestman Lee but leaving just enough so as not to distract from Groom Harde.

Tags: backlit subjects, Panasonic L10, spot metering