Photography Techniques and Influences.

Photography is a huge part of media and impacts in all areas from TV to social media. It is usually the initial impression a viewer will react too, for example, a movie poster is released before the film therefore possibly persuading a viewer to watch that film, or not too.

Theses are some key points I have gathered on the principles of a good photo.

1.Use the rule of thirds: This can add balance and fit with where the eye automatically looks first.

2. Line placement: When we see an image, we automatically are drawn towards a line. This can be used to the photographers advantge as if used correctly can be very effective.

3. Symmetry: Perfect symmety can be very satisfying to see in a photograph, however, broken symmety can also be very effective if used correctly.

4.Viewpoint: When taking a photograph, try to experiment with angles. This can have quite an effect on the viewer, as different angles can catch the light differently or create symmetry among other things.

5.Depth: To create depth in a photograph, it is neccessary to have features in the foreground, middle ground and background. This emphasises the depth and turns the photograph from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional image.

6. Frames: By surrounding the photograph with a natural border you can create depth in the image. There are many natural borders including; trees and archways.

Portrait photography is very important in media as it depicts a person, whilst in some cases can reflect their personality. A portait photograph is the first thing you will see on the front of a magazine, album cover and movie poster.

Here are some tips on taking effective portrait photos:

1.Increase ISO: To avoid taking a photo of someone blinking or talking, increase your shutter speed, as you can capture snapshots without them moving.

2.Innovative compositions: Instead of taking boring, generic photos, position them differently or add a pace next to them in the shot.

3.Use a reflector: This is an easy, cheap way to brighten up your photographs, and can make a huge difference to the quality of your photos.
In my experimentation, I used techniques similiar to those in the portrait of David Bowie. A simple headshot can be very effective and can reflect honesty and natural concepts.