Trip to Japan- A lesson on photography

I had the opportunity to go to Japan for 12 days in November. :) I posted most of the better photos on Facebook already but since this is an art blog, I'm going to comment on some of my favorite photos in terms of design and things to be aware of when taking a photo.

One of the biggest things I try to keep in mind is that a photograph is two-dimensional, which changes the angle and position of the picture. 

Water- Water is so interesting! Part of the reason I took this photo was because I loved the reflection of the trees in the water. In a photograph, the reflective nature of water can affect the way a photograph turns out. So next time you take a photo or are looking for a photo opp, look out for reflections!

 

Orientation- Vertical or Horizontal? Keep in mind there are two ways you can take the pictures (well more if you count diagonals but we'll stick with the traditional :) ). Depending on which orientation you choose you can get a different feeling for both. When I'm not sure which one to use when I take the photo, I quickly snap both so I can choose later. I can get a better feel for a photograph on the screen of my computer. Which do you like better? The horizontal captures the large amount of foliage and the red leaves draw the eyes more because it is contrasted with the green leaves. The vertical one highlights the height of the tree. There is a certain delicacy because of the open space of the sky and details created by the lines of the dark branches at the top of the tree. There are many things that draw our attention and so the red leaves are not as dominant. What do you think? 

 

Lines- When I took these photos I had to change my perspective to a 2-D perspective. I looked at the wooden poles in the left photo, not as poles, but as lines. Lines always lead the eye so I thought it would be interesting to frame the scene so that our eyes are drawn up towards the center of the tree and also down towards the grass. It captures the role of these poles as supporters. In Japan, they prepare trees for winter so that branches don't break from the weight of snow. In the photo on the right, I was drawn to all the curves of the tree roots. I looked at this scene as lines as well. The tree trunk and the thick root forms a diagonal line creating energy (diagonal lines give a sense of energy while horizontal and vertical is more stable).

 

Angle- These are all the same trees taken from different angles. I won't really explain too much here but it's something to think about when taking photos of 3-D objects. Which angle should you take it from? I like the 3rd one the best. How about you? And why? Asking these questions about why you like certain images is a good way to figure out how you prefer to make art or in this case take pictures.

 

Backgrounds- Be aware of backgrounds at all times. Often times we zoom in and focus in on the object of interest but don't forget you also capture what's behind it. It will affect the way a photo turns out. Do you notice the difference in backgound in the photos of the flowers? The backgrounds are pretty blurred so it's not that drastic of a difference but it still creates a different feel. I also switched up the angle the flower faces so that it changes the feel of the photo as well. Which do you like better?

 These are some of my favorites from the trip so I'm throwing them in :) The last two are similar- one is day one is night.

Hope you learned something about photography and 2-D design :) Thanks for reading!

-M