Main Center of Focus and Leading Lines

Some more principles of art pertaining to photography are "main center of focus" and "leading lines." The main center of focus is the total opposite of the rule of thirds. For instance the rule of thirds is where you divide you picture into 9 parts and place your subject to the spaces to the left or right, but in the main center of focus, your subject should be placed in the center of your "canvas" without any distracting background or anything to the sides of the subject. The point of this principle of art is to show the viewer that you want to centralize the subject so that nothing else distracts your eyes from the subject. An example of this principle of art is: 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4947180583_df805483b0.jpg

The other principle of art is leading lines. This also takes the opposite effect of main center of focus because this principle is meant to make you eyes move along the lines captured in your photo. In a photo using this principle of art, the viewer's eyes should automatically move along the line because the human eye naturally follows lines. Leading lines can either be sued to make the viewer's eyes look at the main subject of the photograph or to let their eyes lead into the end fo the picture. A example of a photo using leading lines is: 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4947771042_cf1df36a43_z.jpg

Slow Motion & Still Motion Photography

A kind of photography that is used commonly in photographing sports or really fast moving objects is called motion photography. Motion photography can either be used as a term to capture fast moving subjects into stills or even to create blurs. In order to take a picture with blur, you need to slow your shutter speed down, when you do this you allow the camera’s sensor to take in all the light that it can in the slow shutter. When you do this, you will notice movement, but if you do not adjust your aperture your photo will be over exposed. So with that said, you want do compensate the shutter speed with the aperture. For instance you might shoot at a shutter speed of 2” (“ meaning second) with a aperture of f/20. You want to make sure that in your photograph, you do not find over exposed parts in the photograph. An example of a motion photograph with movement is:

http:/http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/300535417_7ab6151336_b.jpg

Another example of motion photography is capturing stills. In this kind of photography, you wont be able to find any blur or notice any motion. In order to do this you want do increase you shutter to speed, to a speed like 1/1000-1/8000 depending your lighting situation. With sports photography, a standard 1/1000 is a good shutter because it is at the point where you will not see blur or motion. With this you want to decrease you aperture so you can have as high of a shutter speed as possibly, a f/2.8 would be the most handy. An example of still motion photography would be:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5010582261_cf1d89089a_b.jpg

The Rule Of Thirds

Now i will be going over some key concepts of art that are often used in photography. First of all is the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a a use of composition, what you want to do is imagine that your image is split into 9 equal parts, with two vertical lines and two horizontal lines. For instance:

http://www.taylor-photography.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/rulethirdsdiag.jpg

With using the rule of thirds, you want to aline you horizon of the picture with the horizontal bottom third, while using the right and left thirds to place you subject in. The main focus of the rule of thirds is to not keep your subject in the central focus of the image, but to expand around the whole imagery. Some people say that using the rule of thirds gives more meaning, power, and emotion to a photograph or art piece in general. 


Here is an example of one of my photos that i have taken with using the key concept of the rule of thirds. 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4289844346_e7024f3834_z.jpg

As you can see in this picture, if i were to place the close pin in the center, rather than the side it would not give off as must wonder and emotion in the picture. With the subject to one side of the image, you are able to see the background, and the background of photos are usually assistants in helping tell the story of the image.

Part 3: The Functions - The Top

Canon EOS 20D
http://www.all-things-photography.com/images/Top-of-20d.jpg

The top of the camera holds a lot of function and things to know, for instance the light for the LCD display (#1). This is  a button that you can press and the LCD display lights up when needed in low light areas. Second is the AF/White balance button (#2), this button allows you to select what kind of AF you want the camera to do, for instance "One Shot" where when pressed half way on the shutter release button the camera holds it focus on one non moving object or you can set it on "AI Servo" this function lets the camera auto focus on a moving object and makes it stay on focus. Also the white balance lets you adjust the white balance to different light conditions, it gives options like daylight, night time, incandescent light, and fluorescent light.  Next is the ISO button (#3), this allows you to change the amount of noise int he picture ranging from 100-3200, depending what camera. Next is the shutter release button (#4), see post The Functions - The Front. Next is the top dial (#5) allowing you to change settings quickly like the  shutter speed and aperture.
Next the metering button(#6) helps you adjust to different light environments. Next would be the LCD screen (#7) this is where you can view your current settings and view the changes in settings. This has a metering bar, it also shows your shutter speed, aperture, focusing, and how many pictures you can take. Another thing is the hot shoe flash (#8) this place is where you can attach a external flash. Next is the exposure control dial (#9) this lets you change what mode you are in. Last is the pop up flash (#10 see 

The Functions - The Front)

Part 2: The Functions - The Back

Canon EOS 10D
http://www.all-things-photography.com/images/rear-of-20d.jpg

First of all here, the first thing to look at is the viewfinder (#1), this is where you see what you would be taking a picture of, it also includes a focusing ring that you can see and other information like shutter speeds, aperture settings, and ect. Second is the dioptre adjustment (#2), this lets you adjust the viewfinder to your eyes, for instance if you are long or short sighted, this also lets you use the camera without using glasses or contacts. Third is the rubber eyecup (#3), this lets you mould around your eye getting rid of glares and bright lights. Next is the dial (#4) this joystick lets you navigate in the menu and view pictures. Next is zoom button (#5), this lets you zoom into pictures when viewing pictures on the LCD screen.  Next is the focus point selector (#6), this lets you select what points in the viewfinder you want your camera to focus on.

Seventh is the write indicator light (#7), this light flashes red when the card in the camera is writing data. Next is the select button (#8), this button appears different depending what camera you are using, this lets you select pictures and items in the menu. Next is the on and off button (#9), this obviously switches the camera from on to off. Tenth is the erase button (#10), this button lets you delete photos when viewing on the LCD screen. The play button (#11) lets you display photos on the screen and it displays the last image taken. Next the jump button (#12) is used to jump 2 or 3 images or menu items at a time. Next the info button (#13), when you press this it shows information of any image that you select, it tells you exposure settings, white balance, date/time, image size, flash details and ect. Next is the menu button (#14), this brings up the internal menu functions. Last is the LCD screen (#15) this displays images, the menu, and with some cameras display real time images. 

The Functions - The Front

Canon EOS 20D DSLR
Image from http://www.all-things-photography.com/images/front-of-20d.jpg

First of all on the camera there is the alignment for the lens (#1). This allows you to place the lens onto the camera and twist and lock it in place. Second there is the pop up flash button (#2), when you press this button the flash will come up. But for modes like "Full Auto" the flash will activate automatically letting the camera decide whether to use it or not. Third there is the lens release button(#3), when you press this in, it unlocks the lens and allows you to twist and take off the lens. Fourth  is the depth of field preview (#4), this button determines how much of the image will be in focus. This button closes the aperture to give you a idea through the view finder of what would be in focus.

Next is the lens contacts (#5) this little notches in the camera connect to the lens to allow the camera to auto focus and to change other settings. Next is the mirror (#6) this mirror allows you to see through the view finder and find out what you would be taking a picture of. Next is the grip (#7) this is where you hold the camera, the grip usually has some kind of rubberized coating for better grip. Next is the shutter release button (#8), this button takes your picture, when you press the button half way it allows the camera to auto focus. Last is the pop up flash (#10). Most cameras have a built in flash, when on auto mode the flash will pop up automatically. 

Introduction

This blog is about photography on amateur to pro aspects. This blog will teach the basic fundamentals of using a DSLR to using different techniques of taking pictures. This blog should be helpful to everyone that is looking forward to photography, I'd like them as a reader to try every tip that i give them in the future. After the intro of the basics of the camera functions i will be posting a different picture for each photo to show a greater way of technique and how to take a Photograph.