The Basics - Photography Concepts and Terms
I remember starting my photography journey and seeing great photographs from others and wondering “Why don’t my photos look like that?” That thought set me on a journey to find out what it takes. Below is a quick breakdown of the basics of photograph. I’ll touch on topics like terminology, composition, and other thoughts/concepts that helped me along the way.
Basic Terminology
Composition:
The arrangement of elements within a photograph to create a visually appealing or meaningful image. Good composition guides the viewer’s eye through the frame and enhances the overall impact of the shot.
Exposure:
The amount of light that reaches the camera sensor, determining how bright or dark an image appears. It is controlled by three settings: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Shutter Speed:
The length of time the camera's shutter remains open to allow light to hit the sensor. A fast shutter speed (e.g., 1/1000s) freezes motion, while a slow shutter speed (e.g., 1/10s) allows for motion blur or light trails.
Aperture:
The opening in the camera lens that controls the amount of light entering the sensor. Measured in f-stops (e.g., f/2.8, f/11), a wide aperture (low f-number) creates a shallow depth of field, while a narrow aperture (high f-number) results in more of the image being in focus.
Exposure Triangle:
A concept that explains the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO in determining the exposure of an image. Adjusting one setting often requires changes in the others to maintain proper exposure.
Long-Exposure:
A technique where the camera’s shutter remains open for an extended period (seconds or even minutes), capturing motion blur or light trails. Often used for night photography, star trails, and silky water effects.
Depth of Focus:
The range in which objects in the image appear acceptably sharp. Often confused with depth of field, depth of focus refers to the area behind the lens where the image remains sharp on the sensor.
Focus Stack:
A technique where multiple images taken at different focus distances are combined in post-processing to create an image with a greater depth of field. Commonly used in macro and landscape photography.
Rule of Thirds:
A compositional guideline where an image is divided into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing the subject along these lines or at their intersections creates a balanced and visually appealing composition.
Golden Hour:
The period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the light is warm, soft, and diffused, creating ideal conditions for photography.
Blue Hour:
The time just before sunrise and after sunset when the sky takes on a deep blue hue, providing a moody and dramatic lighting effect.
Twilight:
The time between day and night when the sun is below the horizon, resulting in soft, indirect lighting. Twilight is divided into three phases: civil, nautical, and astronomical, each offering different lighting conditions for photography.
Composition
Composition in photography refers to how elements are arranged within a frame to create a visually compelling and well-balanced image. It involves the thoughtful placement of subjects, lines, shapes, colors, and negative space to guide the viewer’s eye and convey a mood or message.
Key Aspects of Composition:
Rule of Thirds: Dividing the frame into nine equal sections and placing key elements along these lines or their intersections for balance.
Framing: Incorporating elements like windows, arches, or branches to create a natural frame around the subject.
Negative Space: Leaving empty areas in the composition to emphasize the subject and create a sense of simplicity or scale.
Symmetry & Balance: Using symmetrical or asymmetrical elements to create a sense of harmony or intentional contrast.
Depth & Perspective: Layering elements in the foreground, middle ground, and background to create a sense of depth.
Common Shapes Used:
1. Triangular Composition
🔺 What It Is: Using three key points in the frame to form a triangle, creating a sense of stability and balance.
📸 Examples: Portraits with a subject’s arms forming a triangle, mountains, or architectural structures.
2. Leading Lines
➡ What It Is: Using lines (roads, fences, rivers, paths) to guide the viewer’s eye toward the subject or deeper into the scene.
📸 Examples: A long road leading to the horizon, railway tracks, or a bridge.
3. S-Curve Composition
〰 What It Is: A curved shape that naturally leads the viewer’s eye through the image, creating flow and movement.
📸 Examples: Winding roads, rivers, or paths through a landscape.
4. Diagonal Composition
📏 What It Is: Positioning subjects or leading lines diagonally to add energy, tension, or depth to the image.
📸 Examples: Diagonal shadows, a person walking up stairs, or a tilted skyline.
5. Circular Composition
⭕ What It Is: Arranging elements in a circular shape to create a sense of harmony, repetition, and unity.
📸 Examples: Spiral staircases, round objects, or a group of people forming a circle.
6. Radial Composition
🌟 What It Is: A composition where elements radiate outward from a central point, drawing the eye directly to the focal point.
📸 Examples: Sunbursts, flower petals, or architectural domes.
7. Golden Spiral (Fibonacci Spiral)
🌀 What It Is: A naturally occurring spiral shape based on the Fibonacci sequence, often seen in nature and used to create organic, flowing compositions.
📸 Examples: Spiral staircases, flower patterns, or waves.
Each of these composition shapes helps create balance, movement, and visual interest, making your photos more engaging and dynamic. Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more details.
Closing Thoughts and Other Tips
Like any other discipline, getting out there and practice is really the best way to learn. But studying a bit, and having some book smarts about the topic is the over piece of the equation. This leads into a tip that has helped me out as a photographer.
Do Your Research
Researching a location or photographic concept that you’re looking photograph will certainly increase your odds of accomplishing your creative goals. As a landscape photograph, half of the battle for me is to research things like weather, angle of the sun, where certain photos are shot in relation to the subject, how to reach the location, entry costs/permits, etc. Knowing this information before hand has helped me produce photos that I’m proud of and ensures that I’m exploring locations/protected spaces responsibly.
Know Your Camera Body
It’s taken some time, but I can confidently say that I know the Sony A7IV body at least to a functional level according to how I photograph. Any settings that I generally used have been saved in profiles, and I’m aware of the settings needed to produce different effects in my photos. Then again I’ve had this camera body for a few years now, I should know something about it. But knowing your camera body leads to not being hung up on settings and buttons when trying to photograph a moment.
Thank you for your time!