I’m enjoying my Art Photography class this summer.  It’s a very informal class but I’ve already learned a lot of great tips on how to make my photographs better and more meaningful.   I’m learning how to use lighting more effectively, and how patience (a virtue that I and my small subjects are a bit short on) is key to capturing a great shot.  I love the lighting in the photo of J.  above.  The late afternoon light has a soft pink tint and makes his skin tone so sweet and baby-like. I didn’t edit this photo at all.

 For those of you  interested in taking more artistic photos, here are some of the most helpful hints I’ve learned so far:

1) The most important thing for the photographer to have is the ability to SEE.  Similar to drawing, you need to LOOK at what you are looking at-look for the details, lines, and background.

2) It helps to have a fairly good idea of what you want to accomplish ahead of time.

3)Photography composition rules are the same as those of painting -Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, etc.

4) Use light to emphasize the 3-dimensional quality of your subject. Sunrise or sunset being ideal for outdoor photos.

5)For Fine Art photography, ask some critical thinking questions such as:

         -What am I trying to accomplish?

         -What is the main idea of the photo?

        -Is there another way to interpret this information?

         -What am I taking for granted?

         -From what point of view am I looking at this issue?

  It will come as no surprise that I have not put a whole lot of “”thinking” into my photos so far.  I haven’t really been trying to communicate much, save the few that I’ve added scripture to.  I’d like to change that. Using photographs to communicate a message can be very powerful. 

Picking a thought provoking subject that sends a clear message is not as easy as I thought it was.  As I’ve sat  in my class viewing the slides the professor shows for discussion, there are many different interpretations given from the other class members on the same photo.  Not every image speaks to all people the same way.  The answer to the question “What is the photograph about?” is up to interpretation, just as it would be in any art form.

This coming  Tuesday, we have the opportunity to share 8-10 photos with the class and have the instructor and other class members critique them.  I want to make the most of this opportunity, but as I scroll through my files, I’m frustrated to find that not many of my photos are communicating much. 

How do I communicate my Biblical worldview without being trite?  I don’t want to stick a Bible in the photo somewhere and expect that to get the message across. Photographer’s with opposing worldviews make their outlook on life crystal clear in their photos.   At the very least I want my photos to contrast with their post-modernism in a visually stimulating way.  I don’t think every picture has to have a deep spiritual message to be a good photograph, of course. These are just some things I’ve been mulling over.

For now, here’s a picture of the anole that likes to make me jump out of my skin everytime I go out on my front porch. I’ve titled this one “Number Your Days”.  🙂