I’ve been writing this blog for close to three years now (wow! how did this happen?). In three years I have never written a photography post, other than when I got my new (lifesaving!) Lowel EGO light.
Do you want to know why? I don’t have a DSLR camera and daily see pictures on other blogs that are far better than mine. It seems I should be letting these posts go to the pros.
But then I attended a composition photography class and decided that no matter how good (or bad) my photos are, I wanted to share with you what I’ve learned because I figured we can all learn together. Plus, I realized that while I still have a long way to go, I’ve also come a long way since I first started taking pictures for this blog.
Why did I take a composition photography class? Well, to be honest, the main reason was because it’s the only class I’ve ever found that doesn’t require a DSLR camera. I’m so glad I signed-up. Before this class, I had taken one photography class in high school and loved it. I still have the film SLR camera and just wish I could use that for the blog 
The other students were as kind as could be, and one of the biggest things I learned is that is doesn’t require a DSLR camera to take good photos (although yes, that does help 
). It’s much more about what you can do with your camera than what you’re holding.
If you’re wondering, I use a Cannon PowerShot SX120IS for all my photos. Although I would love a DSLR camera (anyone have one they want to send my way?) I am really happy with this camera. It’s perfect for taking pictures of food as well as people and places, and it’s easy to carry around.
The class had three sessions and we focused on several composition photography “rules.” I actually see them less of “rules” and more of “helpful guidelines” when composing your shot. You can use one, all, or none in your photos to produce an amazing shot. While we went through several “rules,” here are the ones that really stood out to me:
1. Rule of Thirds – I have a feeling if you’ve ever taken a photography class or researched it online, you’ve come across this one. Basically it means that if you divide your photo into 9 equal sections your eye naturally falls into where the intersections are; this is where you want your focus of the photo to be.
2. Leading Lines – Use “lines” such as a path, ribbon or spoon to direct the viewers eye of where it should be looking. This gives movement to the picture and can help to create a story or mood.
Chickpea Pot Pie with Gouda Biscuit Topping
3. Repetition – Having a repeating pattern can be a very powerful way of drawing someone into a picture.
However, sometimes having one “break” from the pattern can also be a way of really making a shot interesting.
Whole Wheat Cherry Zucchini Muffins/Bread
While none of these are ground-breaking tips that are going to get all my photos accepted into Tastespotting, they have helped me to take an extra step when looking through my lens and I hope they help you too!
~What do you prefer taking pictures of (events, people, food, etc)?
