Photography 101 **Lines & Movement**

This week we learned about shooting in Shutter Priority Mode.  On my Canon Rebel it's the TV setting, which is a semi-automatic mode.  This is a good mode to use when you are shooting moving things (kids, sports, animals).  We practiced shooting a moving target (our instructors daughter).  Our teacher taught us that if we want to be able to focus in on a moving target we need to move with the subject.  Here's an example of a picture I took during class in which I didn't move with the subject.  The entire picture is blurry.

Here's a better example of panning the target...not perfect, but better.

We also talked about lines as a compositional rule in photography.  Lines are the second most powerful compositional element.

There's leading lines, these take your eye out of the frame.  Here's a few online examples:

 Then there's converging lines.  Converging lines give depth to a photo. The lines look like they will touch at some point. Here's some online examples:

Last, we talked about curved lines.  Curved lines are very feminine in nature and they are used to trap the eye.  As with any concept, it can be literal or implied.

Here's some online examples:

Our homework for the week was to use lines in our photo and shoot in Shutter Priority (TV).

Here's what I submitted:

We have a really quiet class and our instructor is always trying to get us to talk, but we won't, so he just goes down his roster and calls on someone.  Of the two pictures I submitted, this is the one he asked the class about.  It didn't go over well. The lady who got called on said she didn't get it.  Our instructor didn't say much other than it should have been cropped differently. Talk about frustrating. I don't think it's beautiful or anything, but I guess I don't completely get why it's wrong. I could have used a little better feedback. Oh well, I'll keep on practicing.  I need lots of practice in shutter priority mode...lots of blur.   

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