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Posted February 21st, 2012by Shane ButlerNo Comments »
We recently received this great tip written by Bryan Petersen in the Adorama Newsletter. Sign-up for free at Adorama.com on the bottom right of the page.
The Golden Section a.k.a. The Rule of Thirds by Bryan Peterson – PPSOP Founder
The Golden Section refers to a mathematical calculation whose answer equals 1-2/3, or 1.66. Although there is ample evidence that the Golden Section was in use by the Egyptians, for example in the building of the Pyramids, it wasn’t identified until later by ancient Greek mathematicians who, when studying the paintings of their fellow artists, began recognizing a “pattern”: objects in a scene were often two-thirds as large as others, landscapes often placed the horizon line with two-thirds of the landscape below and one-third sky above (or vice-versa), and in still life’s, artists seemed to favor compositions in which two-thirds of the frame was filled with the round shapes of fruit and the remaining third with the round shape of the bowl. These artists and architects had a “natural eye,” an innate sense about how to create compelling and effective compositions. Thanks to the Greek mathematicians, namely Pythagoras, this compositional arrangement became known as the Golden Section, a rule stating that when any object or shape had two distinct parts, the smaller part should be 2/3 the size of the larger part.
Fibonacci’s Rabbits & Engaging Photographs
In the area of composition, it is also important to note the ‘Fibonacci numbers’. Fibonacci was an Italian Mathematician who was famous for his calculations on predicting how fast and how many additional rabbits would result from two breeding rabbits in ideal circumstances. I will spare you the details, but a series of numbers arose from these calculations, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610…Do you notice the ‘pattern’ in this series of numbers? Beginning with 3, each number that follows is a combination of the two numbers before it e.g. 1+2=3, 3+5=8, 5+8=13 and so on. As if by default, Fibonacci’s numbers have a direct correlation to the Golden Section. Look at what happens when you divide each of Fibonacci’s numbers by the number before it: 1/1= 1, 2/1=2, 3/2=1.5, 5/3=1.666, 8/5=1.6, 13/8=1.625, 21/13=1.61 and so on and of course you have undoubtedly noticed the calculations that resulted in a 1.6 result. And it’s important to note that this 1.6 will go on forever when one divides each of the Fibonacci numbers by the number before it. Is this 1.6 result merely a coincidence?
Definitely NOT! What is perhaps most interesting about the Golden Section is that nature abounds in it. Just about every living and breathing thing in Mother Nature’s closet, from flowers and ferns to the smallest microbe, is evidence of the Golden Section. Perhaps I have stumbled upon the reason WHY so many photographers are drawn to flowers; they are comprised of ‘Fibonacci’ numbers. Lilies and iris both have 3 petals, buttercups, columbine and pinks have 5 petals, delphinium’s 8, some daisies and corn marigold have 13, aster and Black Eyed-Susan’s have 21 and check this out, Michaelmas Daisies have 55 petals; again, all of which are Fibonacci numbers. And of course flowers go to seed and not surprising a poppy seed head has 13 ridges atop the seed head and upon closer inspection, the Purple Coneflower and it’s ‘spiraling seed head’ totals 55 spirals and even the common sunflower has 89 spirals – ALL Fibonacci numbers again! And back to our friend, the Greek Mathematician Pythagoras; he may have been the first to realize that even the human skeleton was based on the Golden Section; sure enough, my upper arm bone is roughly 2/3 the length of my lower arm bone as is upper leg bone when compared to my lower leg bone.
Entire books have been written about the Golden Section, and discussing it in detail is beyond the scope of this short “how-to” article, but it is vitally important that I state emphatically that the use of the Golden Section in your compositions will more often than not lead to far more engaging and compelling photographs. The sooner you embrace it, the sooner you will start hearing compliments from complete strangers about your photographs.
To ignore the Golden Section, a.k.a. the Rule of Thirds, is to ignore the natural order of the very universe we live in. The rule of thirds “grid” really can serve you well. It can and should often serve as the foundation of a compelling image, much as a firm and solid foundation should be the basis of every house or skyscraper.
Using The Rule For Better Pix
As I drove down one of the many back roads in the Valensole Plain of Provence, my eyes caught sight of a lone tree in the distance. The first image I shot may look familiar to some of you, as it depicts what I often see from students in several of our beginner classes. The horizon line runs through the middle of the frame and the subject, the lone tree, is smack dab in the middle of the frame. But as we can see in the next image, it now “feels” better with the tree in the right third of the frame. And as we see in the next two images, it feels even better still when we place the tree on the right and the horizon line in the upper or lower third of the frame. Why? Because you are now catering to your “inner eye,” the eye that instinctively knows about the Golden Section and its desire for “1/3rd-vs-2/3rd’s divisions. (All images shot with a Nikon D3X, 70-300mm, @ 200mm, f/32 @ 1/60 second, 200 ISO)
You Keep Shooting!
Bryan F. Peterson/Founder PPSOP.com
Posted November 24th, 2011by Shane ButlerNo Comments »
Another big shopping season is among us as Thanksgiving is now happening.
While there are many sources to find the deals offered by the ‘big’ stores, there aren’t always a list of some of the other great deals from trusted photography and electronics stores.
Well, here are few to save you some money this holiday season. (Remember, you can always check for camera information.)
Abe’s of Maine has many deals already available. Check them out now.
Posted April 25th, 2011by Fabiola LehmannNo Comments »
Modern toys can also be fun and educational. A kids’ digital camera, for instance, is a gadget especially designed for kids. Through this camera, any child can take photos of whatever he wants. He can easily delete the pictures that he thinks are not good enough. Then, he can have them printed conveniently at home with a computer printer. Digital cameras are more user-friendly than manual cameras.
Some of the well-known companies that produce such digital cameras are Disney, Little Tykes, Fisher Prices, and Crayola. It is very important for a digital camera to be sturdy yet easy to operate. It should have control buttons that are easy to understand. It should also feature hand grips, so that children can hold them properly. Aside from these, built-in memory is also important. Digital cameras with memory cards are not ideal because the small memory cards might get lost or be swallowed by children. When a child gets older, he can be given a more complex model like Point and Shoot.
With a kids’ digital camera, your child will be able to see things in a new light. He will notice the characteristics of objects that he never noticed before. He will be able to appreciate things better through photography. Photography is not only meant to document events from the past, present, and future. It is also meant to be enjoyed. By taking pictures, your child will improve his skills and creativity. Plus, he will be able to preserve good memories.
In addition, photography is a fun and creative way for a child to express himself.
1. Using a kids’ digital camera, they can take pictures of themselves, families, friends, and pets. They can capture the sceneries they encounter everyday. Then, they can organize the photos in a notebook or scrapbook. They can even add captions or stories. To make these pictures last longer, they can have the notebook or scrapbook laminated.
2. Your child may also take pleasure in taking pictures of objects with different colors, sizes, and shapes. Why not take him to the park or zoo, so he can take more pictures?
3. If you want, you can have the pictures taken with the kids’ digital camera printed on t-shirts and photo puzzles. Photo puzzles can be cool gifts for relatives and friends.
4. It is also a good idea to encourage your child to take pictures during vacations and field trips.
5. He can even use his kids’ digital camera to take pictures and turn them into a collage.
6. They can take pictures of things they want to collect but cannot buy. It might even be a way to let their parents know what they want for their birthday.
7. A kids’ digital camera is really useful. Aside from collages and scrapbooks, he can also glue pictures on cards.
It is really rewarding to take beautiful pictures. A child can learn so much with photography. So, it would be nice if you will get your child a kids’ digital camera.
This write-up is penned by Fabiola Lehmann. She is a stay-at-home mother who lives with her spouse and little child. In addition to fiddling around the kitchen, she also likes to blog about Kinderdigitalkamera or kids digital cameras such as Vtech KidiZoom.
Posted August 12th, 2010by Lizzie Tankyte-JonesNo Comments »
by Lizzie Tankyte-Jones
Many people are far more familiar with compact digital cameras than SLR digital cameras since these models have flooded the marketplace.
Almost as common as cellphones, it is not unusual to see someone with a compact digital camera every time you walk down the street. Until recently, it was rare to see a digital SLR camera unless it was in the hands of a professional.
Thankfully, the cost of the digital SLR’s has now fallen to such a degree that some are now around the same price as a top quality compact camera. This has opened up a whole new market although many people are unaware of what these SLR’s can do.
A key advantage of a digital SLR is speed when compared to a compact. The simple reason for the greater SLR speed is it’s mechanical operation whereas a compact uses electronics for the same function.
There’s a device called a shutter that sits in front of the digital SLR sensor, blocking it from light.When you take a photo, the shutter (made up of two curtains) opens and closes.
By comparison, a compact camera has no physical shutter mechanism but rather it’s sensor is activated electronically whenever you take a picture.
The mechanical shutter has a massive advantage because there is no time lag between you pressing the button and the shutter opening to take the snap, it is instant, unlike with compact cameras where there is a significant delay between the two actions – and how many times has that delay meant you’ve missed the perfect shot?
There is now much more choice in digital SLR cameras as major suppliers like Canon, Nikon, Olympus etc. bring better, ever more functional cameras to the market place, that it is no easy matter picking the right SLR for you.
When you come to chose which SLR is right for you, make a list of all the things you think you want to photograph then do your homework on which cameras have the functionality to let you do this. Read up on any guide books or testimonials you can find for the cameras on your shortlist. Now, and only now, should you start to compare prices on the few that are left, also look out for any package deals that may be available and go strike yourself a deal.
What I like so much about picking a digital SLR camera using these steps is that no salesperson will be able to sell you more camera than you want or need, you’ll only have to compare prices for a few cameras’, you’ll be confident you’ve made the best choice when you go to buy your new camera, you won’t regret your purchase and you’ll have a great SLR that will last you for years to come.
My personal recommendation is to look at the series of Canon Rebel digital cameras. Check out any bestsellers list and they are usually at the top for styling, functionality and value for money.
About the Author:
Lizzie Tankyte-Jones is a renowned photographer and mother of 2 children. She specializes in flora & fauna and landscapes and has had many of her photos published in publications throughout the Australasia. Lizzie has also amassed a collection of vintage cameras although she now uses a Canon Rebel XTI for most of her commissions. Visit her blog for more Canon cameras.
Which digital camera is best for me is the first question that we all ask ourselves when we are first considering to invest in a digital camera. What are you looking for in a camera?
Once you have decided to move to the digital era you want to decide on which camera will suit your particular needs. There are a variety of types of cameras, not to mention manufacturers, on the market today for you to choose from.
Some of the cameras on the market today include the AF SLR Series, Digital Compacts, Film Compacts, Direct Vision, etc. Cameras include features such as built in camcorders as well as cameras inside phones. It is amazing what you can find on the market today when looking for a digital camera?
At a formal time we discussed film and digital compact cameras, as well as the AF SLR series, today we are going to discuss the Direct Vision Cams along with a few other models. If you are off to the amateur division photography scene then you may want to look at the line of direct vision cameras offered by Leica. Few of these direct vision action takers offer high quality pictures while its sounds are nearly noise pollution free.
The 35mm camera is commonly used by photographers and I want to look at the Range Finders. This model has a variety of features including a viewfinder, battery compartment, self-timer, rangefinder, rewind crank, rewind button, lens, PC socket, film speed dial, and so on.
The rangefinder works by restoring the viewfinders center image which overlays in the camera. If you want to include yourself in the photo self-timers are incredibly useful for delaying when a photo is taken. There are a few cameras that only allow a few seconds before a photo is taken.
Many of the direct vision cameras have hot-shoes, shutter speed dial, wind-on levers, frame counters, and shutter release buttons. Some cameras are more optional than others for the pros in the field of digital photography.
Other varieties of cameras include the Mega-Pixel Camcorders, Large Formatting Cams, Instant Cams, Imaging Phones, and Hasselblad XPans 2 and so on. Please recognize that cameras which come included with a mobile phone are not necessarily the best cameras for photography however in most cases you are able to transfer them to your computer. Camera phones are great when you are on the road taking photos and want to put them on your computer quickly. Bluetooth phones are one of the most popular phones on the market today.
Another option is mega-pixel phone camcorders which are great if you want to create web pages or home movies. Unfortunately these produce lower quality videos which takes them out of the running for creating high productions. It is still quite hand for making movies and playing them back. Most are the size of an Ipod which is incredible when you think of the built in features.
Today you will not find too many professional photographers using instant cameras. At one time most used the familiar Polaroid camera which was one of the most popular cameras on the market. Since there were no photo developing costs there were quite popular with professional as well as amateur photographers. This factor alone was my primary reason for using Polaroid. Enthusiasts of instant cameras can use Fuji?s Instax camera which has taken the place of Polaroid.
We can?t forget about Hasselblad which has a 35mm camera that is incredibly popular with professional photographers. This camera easily switches between standard and panorama modes. Hasselblad is one of those cameras that defies history as it puts you in mind of old technology with a modern flair. Hopefully you should have an indication of which cameras are out there and which might meet your needs.
What are your goals? What are your intentions? Do you need high-resolution or low-resolution? Are you in the spy business, or in amateur photography?
