DSLR - How To Make Your Photos Stand Out.

[Highway Ranger]

Composition among other parameters plays a vital role in differentiating a good photograph from an ordinary snap.

Frankly, these photos do not qualify as portraits. At best, casual snaps taken with some friends. Take for example the one below...

The guy on the left is cut off. The frame is cluttered. Even for a casual snap, the composition is way off. If it is portrait that you are trying to get, then it helps to fill the frame with the subject when the negative space/background is not appealing.



Just my thoughts...

 

[MrRanger]

Composition among other parameters plays a vital role in differentiating a good photograph from an ordinary snap.

Yes there is a rule called Rule of 3rd to create most powerful image to draw eye straight to the subject.

But this rule can be break in many ways,

Frankly, these photos do not qualify as portraits. At best, casual snaps taken with some friends. Take for example the one below...

I did not said the above picture is portrait but I said rule of 3rd may not only the solution but I can also place my picture at center and produce more powerful picture.

My intention was to show it to INDIAN and continue discussion on prime lens since we both are looking for a prime.

image

The guy on the left is cut off. The frame is cluttered. Even for a casual snap, the composition is way off. If it is portrait that you are trying to get, then it helps to fill the frame with the subject when the negative space/background is not appealing.

View attachment 114715

Just my thoughts...

It is nice to discuss about framing in candid and street photography, here my subject was not stand still he was moving here and there so my target was to get sharper image so I can PP it later.
All the pic I posted are not PP I simple uploaded raw images

following is the picture is in discussion, I PP it and placed it in middle since I found that now subject is drawing more attention of eye than before.

more center

Now I placed my subject at sweet spot of 3rd rule


in following image the subject is in center and background is symmetric on both side I feel the subject is at powerful spot


One more thing, could you please elaborate what you mean by distorted background in street photography ? I like to know what exactly you pointing

HR it looks like our discussion is more interesting now because this is where Im concentrating more now a days, so I like to discuss about street photography, people please post your samples lets discuss and learn.

 

[venkythaniks]

Hi all,

I have uploaded some small useful pdfs that can be a guide to better photography. I found it in a website and it is free for distribution. (no Copyright issues). Feel free to go through these.

nice links HR. Its really a quick guide.

 

[Highway Ranger]

Yes there is a rule called Rule of 3rd to create most powerful image to draw eye straight to the subject.

But this rule can be break in many ways,


I did not said the above picture is portrait but I said rule of 3rd may not only the solution but I can also place my picture at center and produce more powerful picture.

My intention was to show it to INDIAN and continue discussion on prime lens since we both are looking for a prime.

My bad. I gave my feedback since the images were posted in this thread "DSLR - How to Make Your Photos Stand Out".

Reading your replies, I feel that you strongly believe that the images you have posted are indeed "Street Photography" and are powerful compositions.

It is your camera, your memory card, your friends and your time, so just ignore my comments, and go ahead and enjoy clicking.

BTW, it is 'disturbing background' not 'distorted background'.

nice links HR. Its really a quick guide.

Yes. Simple basic tips.

 

[MrRanger]

My bad. I gave my feedback since the images were posted in this thread "DSLR - How to Make Your Photos Stand Out".

Reading your replies, I feel that you strongly believe that the images you have posted are indeed "Street Photography" and are powerful compositions.

It is your camera, your memory card, your friends and your time, so just ignore my comments, and go ahead and enjoy clicking.

BTW, it is 'disturbing background' not 'distorted background'.




Yes. Simple basic tips.

Sorry if my comments or replies produced wrong impression and sorry if you felt that i'm not open to accept.
If i'm wrong please let me know, I just posted my thoughts and that is the reason I asked you to post some samples you have clicked so I can compare and know what are those mistakes I have done.

 

[Indian]

Raw image advantage

Just want to highlight advantage of using Raw image format against the jpg.
I have been using digital camera since about year 2000, but was stuck on to 'jpg' file format. Now with my new DSLR camera even though I had raw file support, but still I continued to use only 'jpg'. But recently I started using raw format basically my macro images not showing the realistic colors in jpg mode. Basically raw format is a untouched image map, than the image itself. In raw there are lots more color information available about each pixel than a jpg file. Technical details google it I am also learning.

Just want to demonstrate the power of raw file. Recently on my Goa trip, one day my camera was put on a ISO 800(last night's setting) and it was very bright day and sun was boiling, we just managed to get out and take some quick pics, because it was so bright I did not even bothered to check the results. I realized my mistake only after getting back home! Now almost all the pics taken in daylight were way overexposed and useless.

Now suddenly I thought about the raw format, I heard about the capabilities but not experienced it. Quickly switched on laptop and just did a contrast adjustment! Viola, I got almost a perfect pic! Check the result before and after. Even the details on the clouds I was able to recover in some pics. So if your camera has raw support, start using it from today !

 

[Highway Ranger]

I am not into street photography. If you see my photos you will find that I am more into wildlife/nature photography with a bit off landscape thrown in.

If you Google (image search) for street photography you can see a lot of street photography. This will give an idea of street photography. There are also a lot of sites giving tips on street photography, which you may find useful.

The closest I have come to street photography is on some trips. These are by no means good street photography. And they do not compare with good street photography.

These were taken in Fort Kochi. Let me know what you do not like about the pictures. Both the pictures were taken at the same location.


A street vender selling drums is the subject of this image... If you look closely you will find the elderly lady on the left of the vender wondering if the foreigners blocking the pavement will give way or she has to step on to the road... and so on...




Here a young guy is bargaining with a young street hawker... at close look, the guy on the left peeping into the scene, a fat guy watching the young guy and the young girl... and so on...





@ Indian

I didn't see your post when I posted, so the edit.

I fully agree on the RAW front. I always shoot RAW. There are a lot of powerful tools in ACR.

I opened your jpeg file in ACR and adjusted the recovery to 100% and in the HSL tab increased the blue saturation a bit. I am posting the result here. Since this was done in a low res you will find grains in the image. But the same done in a raw image would give amazing result.

Note that by not using the contrast, (which applies to the whole image), these controls work on selectively and the overall image is not changed.

 

[Indian]

...

I opened your jpeg file in ACR and adjusted the recovery to 100% and in the HSL tab increased the blue saturation a bit. ...

Note that by not using the contrast, (which applies to the whole image), these controls work on selectively and the overall image is not changed.

View attachment 114812

Amazing feedback HR!
Yep I see the difference! Only thing is I have to learn the selective enhancements.
Liked the street photography pics and the explanation. I think there is no boundary in street photography ideas, as you could be shooting basically anything on street and its opportunities are wide open. But the basic objective is same 'each picture should have a story'

 

[manojodungat]

Does every street photograph need to have people in it always? For me, No !


What exactly is “street photography”?
To me, they are the ones

• Where primary subject is not nature [landscape etc] but something with an “urban touch" or shot in "public space".
• Something with less artificiality and predictability and more of spontaneous type
• If candid, better IMO

 

[MrRanger]

Does every street photograph need to have people in it always? For me, No !

View attachment 114831
What exactly is “street photography”?
To me, they are the ones

• Where primary subject is not nature [landscape etc] but something with an “urban touch" or shot in "public space".
• Something with less artificiality and predictability and more of spontaneous type
• If candid, better IMO

View attachment 114832

+1000
There is no rules for street photography, Street it self is an dynamic thing you cannot predict what next so less time to follow each and every rule,

 

[Indian]

Regarding the debate...
Yes everyone has his own definition on things. No need to pick each and every point IMO. If I am happy about my understanding on the particular method and the outcome that's what matters. But its nice to see and listen to what others say, I liked both sides so far

Here is my version of 'Street Photography' or a 'Candid Shot'

 

[Highway Ranger]

What differentiates a good photographer from a 'guy with a camera' is the composition, choice of subject, ect,.

Of these composition plays an important role. Composition does not consist of the 'rule of third' alone.

If one understands the rule of third, one will know where it applies and where it does not.

Composition consists of various factors, like shapes, curves, lines, depth, perspective, lighting, space, balance, colors, texture, repetition, and many other factors - which are equally as important as the rule of third.

Composition applies to all types of photography, including street photography.

(Walking behind a friend, asking him to turn around and clicking that moment is not street photography IMHO. One has to work his way for a good photo. Walk around, look at the subject in different angle, have patience, wait for the right opportunity to click. And it applies for Street photography also.)

But, the choice of composing a frame and shooting, or just pointing at the subject and clicking lies with the individual holding the camera.

Happy clicking!

 

[MrRanger]

What differentiates a good photographer from a 'guy with a camera' is the composition, choice of subject, ect,.

Of these composition plays an important role. Composition does not consist of the 'rule of third' alone.

If one understands the rule of third, one will know where it applies and where it does not.

Composition consists of various factors, like shapes, curves, lines, depth, perspective, lighting, space, balance, colors, texture, repetition, and many other factors - which are equally as important as the rule of third.

Composition applies to all types of photography, including street photography.

(Walking behind a friend, asking him to turn around and clicking that moment is not street photography IMHO. One has to work his way for a good photo. Walk around, look at the subject in different angle, have patience, wait for the right opportunity to click. And it applies for Street photography also.)

But, the choice of composing a frame and shooting, or just pointing at the subject and clicking lies with the individual holding the camera.

Happy clicking!

HR if you cannot understand why I posted my friends picture then let me explain again,
Those pictures are posted just to discuss about prime lens( canon 50mm f/1.8 or 40mm f/2.8), remember that I have captured them in low light and I'm thinking to get some fast and bigger aperture lens to replace my telezoom lens for low light and with low budget.
I said we were on street of deepavali and captured pictures and also captured friends pictures for FB profile.

I tried to explain this but you keep crying on my pictures which are not meant for anything and which are not even PP images.

let me tell you that I'm not a kid with some toy in hands, I know bit of photography, passing judgement on pictures which are not meant for anything is not called mature act, I'm sorry and my apologies to you and to this thread.

People who think they can only produce strong composition when they follow some golden rules is not applies to each and everyone,

(think out of the BOX)check this, it says you can produce great composition even after breaking the rules.
Breaking the Rules

 

[Highway Ranger]

I'm sorry and my apologies to you and to this thread.

Apologies accepted as in the way it was given...

Hoping to see some great pictures from you... Happy clicking.

 

[MrRanger]

Apologies accepted as in the way it was given...

Hoping to see some great pictures from you... Happy clicking.

ok, I'm in the process to upload my pictures to flickr since I always in burst mode and I keep shooting and still keep all pictures.
once done I'll share few shoots