Subject Matter

What to shoot :

That is the question, but what is the answer ?

I think the answer could be what ever you are interested in, be it your family, a hobby, the food you cook or eat, colours shapes and patterns, Wildlife, Architecture the list is endless. This way you will have an understanding and hopefully a love of your subject matter this will help when trying to compose the end product, spotting the shot and or knowing where to find it and keep the enthusiasm going when it just does not really happen immediately.
So think what image you would like to try to capture, if it is people do you want to take action shots, sport etc, this is easy and almost all new cameras will be able to get a good image with standard equipment. However if say you want to take studio style portraits then you must consider lighting, backgrounds and perhaps the right lenses to use. Animals, Botanical and Motor sport for instance require different techniques but can be done with the same equipment. For specialist wildlife subjects such as Birds these can be done with standard lenses but the more you invest in good lenses the better chance you have of that perfect image.
Practice and persistence will pay off, but most importantly have fun and enjoy it - if you no longer enjoy something then move on and see if another subject inspires you or perhaps try to look at it in a different way.

When I left the Army I worked as a car salesman for two years but hatted it with no real interest

in cars - now I love them, well some, the old ones, the well designed ones, with classic lines. I spend a lot of time taking images when the opportunity arises of cars but not of the whole car other than for reference but small parts to show colours, reflections, design, detail or all of these together. But that's just me, someone else would only like to take the whole thing and think mine are of no interest, that's fine neither is wrong we just look at things differently.  

Flowers are always good - be it as a botanical record as in the this beautiful Orchid above - great for a book or magazine article - or the interior of a Tulip below that is more of an abstract colorful image that would not look out of place on the wall of a loft apartment. Both images are of flowers but taken in completely different ways.

Archetecture can be boreing to meny but can be taken at different times and in different ways to give more interest to the people viewing your images. 

Just by seeing these shutters you know this was taken in France 

 

An interesting building often looks even better at night

 

 

 

perhaps not the whole Church but just an interesting item on the inside of the ceiling. 

Local events - this was the horse fare where we lived in South West Ireland - these two lads were more than happy to pose.........it is always important to get the persons permission before taking the shot, a light hearted please normally gets the right reply.

Portraits can be hard but rewarding - these two are of my sons and I believe they catch their personalities.

my son Mark he has a great profile  but the shot was hard without using flash.

Composition

I believe that a photographer should try and relate the story of the place, item, animal etc. to the viewer. Although it is easy now to crop and change an image via software, I am still a great believer in trying to taking the best possible shot that you can; you might wish to show it in a print or on screen in its original unadulterated state.Tthat's not to say do not use the wonderful variety of software available if that is what you want - but remember almost all of the recognised great photographic images were taken prior to digital technology and not even using developing techniques in the darkroom. 

This is why we use SLR and DSLR cameras; so as to utilize the ability to see the exact image to be taken through the view finder. Take time to visualise the image and move the camera around either by hand or on your tripod to see all the possibilities. Here I would advise taking many shots at all angles to sort out the best until you are happy with the style you will soon adopt.

I am always striving to take the ultimate shot....one that I am able to say I am totally in love with the image immediately and hope to capture it before I shrug off the mortal coils - one can but dream.........................

THE RULE OF THIRDS.

Many people recommend the rule of thirds - although it has been around since the time of the Ancient Greeks in their Architecture and then the Great Masters in their Paintings it was then adopted by the founding fathers of Photography in the late eighteen hundreds. It is only a guide and not an absolute but most begineers find it a great help in composing an image.

here is an example of the grid used

    

It is said that by using these pathways for laying out your composition, by placing obvious points of interest upon these lines it is more visually pleasing, be it a person - or in this case a butterfly - along a vertical or perhaps a horizon line along a horizontal.

THE WAY WE READ

In the West we read a page of text from left to right unlike in the East were it is right to left - as such we also observe an image similarly from left to right so when leading the eye it is mostly best done from the left.

two identical shots one reversed which do you find preferable...........?

HOWEVER THESE ARE ONLY GUIDELINES  and as such they can be bent or ignored as your  image story dictates.