ignoring the rules

[mfreg]

I'm finding it difficult to follow the rules. Sometimes, when taking photographs I just naturally follow the rule of thirds, it "just happens" and it usually looks right in the end. But the times that I don't just "naturally" do it, and then try to crop my end result to "force" the rule of thirds onto my photo, it quite often doesn't feel right. Here is an example, I wanted the reflections at the base of this paperwieght to "run out" into darkness, but I also wanted to show the 3 dimensionality of the fillagree, if I would have cropped the top down to get the base of the object on the upper third line, I would have lost the portion of the fillagree where you can really see the "roundness" of the glass strands.

Should I have cropped this to get the base on the upper third line anyway ???



as always, thanks for looking and your comments.

regards
mike

[B..]

Originally Posted by mfreg

I'm finding it difficult to follow the rules. Sometimes, when taking photographs I just naturally follow the rule of thirds, it "just happens" and it usually looks right in the end. But the times that I don't just "naturally" do it, and then try to crop my end result to "force" the rule of thirds onto my photo, it quite often doesn't feel right.

Trust yer gut! If it doesn't happen "naturally" then that's probably a good time to break the rule!

[wulf]

For this image, why not use a different frame ratio? This looks like 3:2. You could have used 4:3 instead, which would have given more height to play with.

All the "rules" are just rules of thumb - guiding principles that may be useful for a given shot. For your "art", you are free to compose your images as you wish. However, your results are likely to improve, if for your "study", you have times when you deliberately follow and explore a particular rule.

Wulf

[zarquon]

I use most of those rules as guidelines, they have helped me take some really good photos, but I've also take some really nice photos without any thought about the 'rules'

like others have said, just go with what you think looks good. there is no right or wrong.

[wulf]

Originally Posted by zarquon

I use most of those rules as guidelines, they have helped me take some really good photos, but I've also take some really nice photos without any thought about the 'rules'

like others have said, just go with what you think looks good. there is no right or wrong.

Well, kind of, but....

Go with what looks right but don't slack on your efforts to learn what looks right. For example, take time to observe the details of widely regarded masterpieces - eg. what would you have to do to capture some of the qualities of the Mona Lisa which have made it such a widely regarded masterpiece that I probably don't even have to mention the painter or give you a link to be sure you know what I am referring to?

Wulf

[mfreg]

Thank you for the replies and advice. Sorry I haven't been back to this thread sooner, I don't want anybody to think I'm being rude, I just haven't been able to reply any sooner.
Wulf, thanks for the thought about a different aspect ratio I didn't even think of that, the software that came with my camera and GIMP are all I have and where the Canon software offers many aspect ratios for cropping I generally only use A size landscape, or A size portrait ( mainly because I'm ignorant of what to use the other sizes for ). I do understand that when making prints I want to maintain 300 DPI on the hieght and width for the print size I want but I haven't produced anything I feel is worth printing lately so I just crop to the A sizes ( I don't know what that means ) it just sounds like a "standard" so that's what I use..... I will try a 4:3 crop when I get home.
Thanks again for the responses.

regards,
mike

[wulf]

The Gimp is all you need. When cropping you can constrain it to a particular aspect ratio and also display some guides, like rule of thirds lines.

Wulf

[mfreg]

O.K. then...using the grid in the GIMP I cropped the bottom to put the arc of the paperwieght base on the lower horizontal third line. I curious about your opinions as to whether or not this crop makes this image more pleasing.




I was going to say interesting, but I would imagine that to most people, paperwieghts are just not that interesting anyway....so I'll stick with pleasing..

thanks, again for your input.
mike

[wulf]

I think it does work, having more "weight" in the top part of the picture. However, I've still got other questions: why not get straight onto the subject? why not put the yellow line in the centre and balance the green and red ones? why let the light blow out at the base of the subject?

I think a rule that would help a lot here is "be symmetrical" (recognising that an even more common rule is "don't be symmetrical" ).

Wulf

[mfreg]

Hi Wulf.
I see exactly what you mean...I can't believe I didn't notice how off center that thing is ! I spend alot of time focusing on one aspect of a photo that sometimes I don't see the forest for the trees, so to speak.
The light blow out at the bottom is something else though. I'm not sure what to do with that. One of the things I like about this image is the glow from the colored glass on the black poster board. I cut a hole in the poster board and placed a 500 watt light underneath ( man does it get hot )...but if I change my exposure to eliminate the blow out, I lose that glow. I've tried using a flash underneath, a flash behind at different angles with the hot light , moving the paperwieght forward and backward relative to the "hole", but I can't get the glow without the blow out.
I will figure something out and post my result with it on center.
I appreciate you looking at it. Thanks again for the insight.

regards
mike