Here's where we start to get a real "eye" for photography. Training our photographic eye lets us recognize situations, composition, and subjects and then puts together all these elements in a frame to make a great picture. What makes a great picture might be very subjective, but the essentials are the same:
Light A photo must be well-composed, but, most importantly, well-lit. You need to get an eye for what good lighting is. How does it fall on your subject and scene? Pay attention to how soft or hard it is. Photography literally translates to "light writing."
Composition One of the most important aspects in photography and any kind of art is composition. Composition refers to how the elements are arranged visually in a frame. Study the rules of composition, and make a point to apply them in everyday shooting. The angle and perspective you choose are also very important as they help to tell the story and to get the light we want. Are you taking the picture at “eye level?” Does it help if you get closer to the ground? Think what the best perspective is to take your image, and don’t be afraid to take more than one!
Subject What are you including in the scene? Do you want to include the background? Sometimes the background can be distracting. Sometimes minimalism works better for certain scenes and subjects, so you can try this as well. Find a focus and a purpose for your picture: If it is one subject in particular, try to exclude distracting elements from the background. If it is a big building and the geometrical lines called your attention, make sure your subject is explicit.
Besides the HOW of how you're looking, there should also be a WHY. A good photo is not only greatly composed by the photographer, but it has intention, a storythat is unique, where the image and what it represents becomes poetic...well, ART.
Problem Statement: use a total of 24 frames of film with at least 8 different ideas (to account for bracketing). Your exposures should explore the world through a photographic eye with visual evidence of your chosen principle of composition - turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Use your light meter to properly expose your photographs as well as shoot purposefully to provide clear and concise attention to your subject.
Dos and Don'ts 1. Shoot in an area with strong lighting. Indoor shots are very difficult because you need a lot more light. Do not shoot at noon. Think about shooting during the early morning or later in the afternoon. 2. Your subject should be something that is an everyday object. It must be large enough for you to be able to compose your image. Small objects will not work because of the lenses we use. 3. Do not go below 125 on your shutter speed, you can use 60 if you position your camera on a steady surface. 4. Bracket your exposures. 3 different light settings for the same composition. 1 over exposed, 1 under and 1 normal. 1 aperture click above or 1 shutter speed is plenty. 5. Do NOT open your camera to take film out until Monday. 6. Remember the depth of field - the larger the number set on your aperture the smaller your opening will be - this creates a larger depth of field (more of your photo will be in focus). 7. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS 8. Shoot the entire roll (23 - 25 photos) 9. Shoot at least 6 different ideas (this will be graded). 10. Do NOT attempt to roll your film back up on your own.