Rule Of Third [Tips Fotografi]

bismillah

Lagi pengen cerita-cerita dikit nih tentang fotografi, mungkin sekedar berbagi buat yang belum tahu atau untuk yang udah tahu bisa menambahkan atau mengkoreksisekiranya ada kekeliruan :D

Komposisi atau perpaduan objek dalam suatu fotografi jelas memegang peranan penting dalam menentukan harmonis atau tidaknya suatu foto saat dilihat. Foto yang akan tampak indah jika kita betul dalam mengatur komposisi dalam suatu pengambilan gambar dan pesan fotografer akan mudah ditangkap oleh pembaca. Ibarat pelukis yang membubuhkan imajinasi dan pesannya dalam goresan kuas dan cat minyoak..tukang foto akan membubuhkan imajinasi dan pesannya lewat jepretan foto dari objek dan moment yang ada.

Rule of third
Rule of third atau "aturan sepertiga" merupakan aturan tidak baku dalam dunia fotografi dalam hal menentukan komposisi suatu objek, aturan yang tidak mengikat dan hanya sebagai pilihan bantuan dalam fotografi. Aturan sepertiga adalah cara kita mengatur komposisi agar poi (point of interest) sebisa mungkin berada di salah satu perpotongan 2 garis dari 4 garis yang membagi gambar menjadi sama besar atau kalu pun tidak diperpotongan cukup berada di garis-garis imajiner tersebut agar bisa mendapatkan kesan dan harmonisasi dari suatu komposisi foto. Biar jelas nih dikasih contoh dari garis-garis imajiner yang membingkai komposisi foto..

Foto asli

Setelah Kroping

Nah pada foto pertama komposisi foto, objek cendrung ditengah atau ada istilah dead center dalam fotografi yang kadang dianggap sering membuat foto menjadi kurang baik atau kaku. Pada foto kedua setelah foto dikroping terdapat dua buah titik potong yang berada di objek utama yaitu di kanan atas dan kanan bawah, sehingga pada hasil akhir foto lebih terlihat dinamis. Sebenernya harapan dari penggunaan trik ini adalah agar mata pengamat foto tidak langsung terkunci ditengah gambar dan serasa malas untuk memutarkan pikirannya ke sisi lain dari gambar. Jadi apabila poi kita letakkan di salah satu sisi garis maka mau-tidak mau mata akan mengembangkan keingintahuannya untuk bereksplorasi mengelilingi setiap sudut foto.


Dead center
Terus apakah dead center foto otomatis akan menjadi foto yang buruk?? sebenernya gag juga mesti kalu foto dead center menjadi jelek, karena tergantung dari kebutuhan fotografer dalam caranya menyampaikan pesan yang ingin dikirm. Jadi kalu bagus pake dead center yang pake itu, kalu emang ternyata pas dicoba-coba bagus pake rule of third yang pake aturan rule of third. Namun setelah digeser-geser tuh kamera ternyata bagusan objeknya kalu nyempil dipojokan yang silahkan saja, toh itulah proses kreatif dari fotografi. Semua aturan ini pada intinya hanya sebagai alat bantu bagi fotografer dalam berkreasi, tidak mengikat dan kita pun bisa saja menggunakan cara yang diluar aturan (out the box). Semua tergantung dari imaginasi kita, kondisi pengambilan yang ada, dan kreativitas kita.

Note:
*kadang jika objek yang diambil harus cepat suka gag kepikir tentang aturan yang ada, feeling yang berkerja

Contoh dead zone yang keren :p

Last Word
Fotografi bukan merupakan suatu proses instan, tetapi dari setiap momen yang terekam tersimpang sejuta kisah dan kenangan. Jadi janganlah segera berhenti menjepret karena bosan dengan hasil yang tidak bagus, atau biasa saja. Akan tetapi teruslah menjepret dan menjepret karena semakin banyak eksperimen dan pengalaman akan memunculkan dan menguatkan feeling dari proses membuat foto itu sendiri :D


literatur:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/forum/topik.php?id=3193898835
Majalah2 Fotografi

Faking the Lomo effect in Photoshop

1. File: Open: the picture you want
2. Image: Adjustments: Brightness/Contrast: increase contrast by 20
3. Image: Adjustments: Hue/Saturation: increase saturation by 20
4. Choose the Rectangular Marquee Tool (your basic selection tool)
5. Change feather amount to 1/12 the width of your picture (if your picture is 600px wide then you will set your feather to 50px)
6. Select your entire picture note: using select: all, will not work
7. Select: Inverse
8. Layer: New: Layer
9. Change your primary color to black. Fill the selection (on the new, blank layer).
10. Change the blend mode of this layer to Overlay
11. Layer: Duplicate Layer
12. Now select your base layer (the one with the picture on it).
13. Layer: New: Layer
14. Change your fill tool to Gradient
15. Change your Gradient Type to Spherical
16. Change your Gradient Shading Style to "foreground to transparent" (I believe this is the default).
17. Change your primary color to white.
18. With the fill tool selected, click in the middle of the picture, and drag the line out to the farthest edge of your picture (if it's a portrait, use top or bottom, if landscape, use left or right).
19. Change the blend mode of this layer to Overlay
20. Change the Opacity of this layer to 80% (or whatever you see fit)

Results:

Photo by Hugo, at Flickr

http://www.lomophoto.com/fakelomo.php

Lomography

Lomography is a commercial trademark of Lomographische AG, Austria for products and services related to photography. The 35 mm LOMO LC-A camera employed an unusual lens which produced large amounts of distortion at the edges of the image whilst keeping the centre sharp.

Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Accidents such as over-saturated colors, lens artifacts, and exposure defects are rehabilitated to produce swirly, abstract effects - a trait emphasized by practitioners. Others use the technique to document everyday life, because the small camera size and ability to shoot in low light encourages candid photography, photo reportage and photo vérité.

Current models marketed by Lomographische AG include Lomo LC-A, Holga, Holga 35mm, Actionsampler, Frogeye, Pop-9, Oktomat, Fisheye, Colorsplash, Colorsplash Flash, F-stop Bang, SuperSampler, Horizon 202, Seagull TLR and Smena 8M.

The following are the company's 10 Rules of Lomography:

1. Take your LOMO everywhere you go.
2. Use it anytime - day or night.
3. Lomography is not an interference in your life, but a part of it.
4. Shoot from the hip.
5. Approach the objects of your lomographic desire as close as possible.
6. Don't think.
7. Be fast.
8. You don't have to know beforehand what you've captured on film.
9. You don't have to know afterwards, either.
10. Don't worry about the rules.

http://www.lomophoto.com/

DSLR Tips Lens buying guide

The joy of owning a DSLR is the ability to change lenses. You could go for a wide angle to squeeze more in, or a telephoto to magnify a distant subject. Or how about a macro lens for taking great quality close-ups? There’s almost no limit to what you can do, with lenses to suit all occasions – and budgets – but so where do you start? In this guide we’ll explain everything you need to know about buying lenses and help you make the right choice for your style of photography.

When choosing a new lens for your DSLR, you should think about what kind of photos you’re trying to take how and you’re finding your current model unsatisfactory. Maybe you’re struggling to fit everything in. Perhaps you can’t get close enough to sports players or wildlife. Or you might be perfectly happy with the range of your current lens, but you fancy something which delivers better quality, focuses quicker, has anti-shake facilities or maybe works better in low light.

There’s almost always more than one lens which does what you’re after, so the next step is working your way through the options which are available. If this is your first DSLR, the names given to lenses can often feature a bewildering array of letters and numbers, but it’s actually easier to decipher than it first appears. Here are the key specifications to look out for.

Focal length

The most important lens specification is the focal length. This defines the coverage of the lens, and how much you’ll fit into the photo. Focal length is measured in mm, and the number which closest matches the magnification of the human eye is 50mm. Our eyes have a much bigger field of view, but if you were to look at something in person, and then through a 50mm lens, the actual magnification would be similar. This is why 50mm lenses are known as standard lenses – they’re suited to a wide variety of subjects from landscapes to portraits.

Lenses with focal lengths smaller than 50mm are known as wide angle because they fit more into your photo. If you’re stood in the same position, a 25mm lens will have twice the diagonal field of view of a 50mm, and could therefore be used to squeeze in large buildings, landscapes or even big group shots – ideal when you can’t step back any further. 28mm is the most common wide angle focal length and is ideal for landscape and architecture shots, but you can go much wider still if desired, and anything below 20mm is typically known as an ultra-wide angle lens.

Squeezing in such a big view means wide angle lenses inevitably suffer from some distortion, especially towards the edges, but this can be used to exaggerate subjects for a special effect; indeed a special type of ultra-wide angle lens called a fish-eye deliberately uses distortion to deliver a highly curved result. Lenses with shorter focal lengths also inherently have a larger depth-of-field, which means it’s easier to get lots in focus from near to far. The examples here were taken with a 17mm focal length.

Lenses with focal lengths bigger than 50mm are commonly known as telephoto models. These fit less in, and are therefore ideal for getting closer to distant subjects or picking out detail; they also give a more flattering effect when taking photos of people. In contrast to wide angle, lenses with longer focal lengths have an inherently smaller depth of field, which means it’s easier to get a blurred background effect – again ideal for portrait, wildlife and sports photography.

Good focal lengths for portraits are typically between 85mm and 135mm – these are often known as short telephotos. Appropriate focal lengths for sports or wildlife are generally much longer – at least 200mm, and ideally 300mm or more. Professional sports and wildlife photographers often use 600mm lenses, or even longer still. The two examples here were taken at 400mm.

You can buy lenses with either a fixed focal length which doesn’t vary, or a zoom lens which goes from one focal length to another. Zooms are very convenient, but generally aren’t as good quality as a fixed lens. Fixed focal length or 'prime' lenses are also normally smaller, lighter and give a brighter view that’s better for low light – see aperture section on the next page. It’s all about weighing up convenience against quality, although some more expensive zooms can be very good.

General purpose zooms usually go from wide angle to short telephoto, such as 28-80mm, although some ‘super-zooms’ could give a range from 28-300mm, covering almost every photo opportunity. There are also wide angle zooms which normally offer an ultra-wide to normal range, such as 16-35mm. Similarly there are telephoto zooms which go from short to long telephoto focal lengths, such as 70-300mm.

from: http://www.dslrtips.com/lens_guide/Lens_buying_guide.shtml

Essential Items for Travelling Photographers

These days more and more people are leaving their film cameras behind when they travel and taking a digital camera. However, just as in the old days, the type of camera and the peripherals you carry can make a big difference to the types of pictures you take, how easy it is to take them, and the resulting images. It may also influence certain other aspects of your trip. In this feature we will consider some of the photographic choices travellers must make and provide some pointers on the benefits and liabilities of different types of equipment.

Camera Choices
Essentially, the choice of camera divides between two options: a compact camera with non-interchangeable lenses or an interchangeable-lens SLR. Each type has different strengths and weaknesses and you may decide to take two cameras to cover a wider range of shooting options.

Compact digicams are generally small, light and pocketable; they're great for 'grab' shots and easier to use in inclement weather than a DSLR. They also make the user less conspicuous than an SLR shooter and many can match the resolution of entry-level DSLR cameras. Practical experience (for details of a recent 'field trip' see the Photo Review website) has shown a DSLR plus a pocketable, high-resolution digicam with a large LCD screen to be an ideal combination.

However the small sensor on digicams makes them noise-prone at high ISO settings, and shots taken in bright sunlight can suffer from blown-out highlights and blocked-up shadows. User-adjustable controls also tend to be more limited and the zoom range may be limited. On the plus side, all digicams can record video clips - although video quality may not be up to TV viewing standard. Additional memory is always required (see below).

When choosing a digicam, try to match the camera with your shooting requirements, taking account of the restrictions different types and sizes of camera will impose. Slim, ultra-compact digicams seldom offer more than 3x zoom and they often come without viewfinders so you must rely on the monitor for composing shots and in bright outdoor lighting, they can be difficult to view. Long-zoom cameras provide a good 'all-in-one' solution but they're bulkier and often provide a limited field of view at the wide setting, compared with cameras with shorter zoom ratios.

Digital SLR cameras (DSLRs) are heavier and bulkier - although not necessarily very much bigger than the bulkiest long zoom models. Their greatest advantage is their larger sensors, which capture a wider dynamic range and are much less noise-prone. DSLRs usually offer more user-adjustable controls and the ability to change lenses means photographers can match the optics they use to different shooting requirements (as long as they have an adequate suite of lenses). We believe you need at least two lenses - and maybe an add-on flash - when travelling.

However, walking around with a SLR camera hanging round your neck is a sure way to advertise yourself as a tourist and will make you a target for touts and pilferers. To avoid this, keep your camera in a bag when it's not in use. See below for advice on bag selection.

Camera Bags
The best camera bags allow the camera to be easily accessible so you can grab that shot as the need arises. For slimline digicams, minimal protection is required; you can slip them into a pouch or 'bum bag' or, for the smallest models, wear them around your neck on the supplied lanyard.

Choosing the best bag for a DSLR or larger digicam is one of the hardest decisions you have to make because, as yet, for larger cameras there's really no single solution. The table below lists the pros and cons of various carrying options. You may need to combine several of them to meet all your needs.

	Pros	Cons
Neck strap	Cheap (supplied with the camera), simple and allows the camera to be accessible.	Narrow straps can be uncomfortable. You look like a tourist and the camera swings around as you walk.
Belt Pack	Camera is readily accessible and there's usually space for accessories.	Can be rather bulky. Belt must be comfortable and spread the load evenly.
Camera holster	Camera is readily accessible. Provides modest protection against impact.	Limited storage. Requires you to wear a belt.
Chest pouch	Camera is readily accessible and well protected.	You look like a tourist. May be uncomfortable for females. Must be rigged correctly.
Camera bag	Many sizes and configurations. Good protection for camera plus accessories.	Can be awkward to carry (position and width of carry straps is important).Camera may not be readily accessible. Heavy if you pack too much gear.
Backpack	Available in a range of sizes. Good protection and plenty of space for equipment. Great for walkers.	Equipment is not readily accessible. Often expensive for its capacity. Easilystolen in crowded areas. Uncomfortable unless set up correctly.
Camera case	Excellent protection plus plenty of space for accessories. Available in a range of sizes.	Expensive, bulky and awkward to carry. Obvious that it contains expensive equipment.

Note: Regardless of where you travel, it is unwise to carry more than about 15-20% of your body weight - all up! So if you're hiking, you must include tent, sleeping bag, clothing and food in that allowance. This may mean being ruthless with your photo equipment decisions. High altitudes will reduce your carrying ability, so adjust your load downwards if you're spending time above about 2000 metres.

Memory
Memory in a digital camera equates to film; the more you have, the more shots you can take. With a 6- or 8-megapixel camera a 1GB card should be adequate for a day's shooting but, for safety, we advise travellers to have at least 2GB of memory in card form, either as a single card, two 1GB cards or four 512 MB cards. (The option you settle on will depend on the cost of the cards, the resolution of your camera and the nature and capacity of your off-camera storage systems.)

The table below shows approximately how many high-resolution JPEG and RAW file pictures you can expect to store on a 512 MB, 1 GB and 2GB card for a range of popular image sensor resolutions.

Camera Resolution	512 MB	1 GB	2 GB
4-megapixel	256/130	512/260	1024/520
5-megapixel	204/102	408/204	816/408
6-megapixel	160/76	320/152	640/304
8-megapixel	104/62	208/124	416/248

If you're taking a laptop and will have access to mains power eachday, 1GB in card form should be adequate for a 5-8 megapixel camera because you'll be able to download your shots each day. Travellers in wilderness areas may prefer a portable storage device. Work out how much storage you need on the basis of the average number of shots you take per day, the size of your image files and the number of days you plan to be out.

Batteries & Cables
Regardless of which type of battery your camera uses, rechargeable batteries will save you money in the long run. Make sure you have one or more spare batteries and recharge them each night. AAs are convenient because it's easy to find non-rechargeable spares if you're near shops when your battery dies; lithium-ion or NiMH batteries usually give you longer-lasting shooting power.

When travelling overseas, buy a 'universal' plug adaptor so you can connect your charger to mains power. Include all power, USB and camera-to-TV cables (for slideshow viewing) you think you'll need. If your laptop lacks the right memory card slots, a card reader may also be required.

Travellers in wilderness areas can purchase solar-powered battery chargers that can be strapped to the top of a backpack and charge batteries. These are fine for sunny climates but pretty useless when the weather is wet or cloudy.

Waterproofing
Regardless of where you travel, there's a chance you'll be caught in the rain. Water is the number-one enemy of digital cameras and if it gets into your camera the chance of saving it is low. An increasing number of compact digicams are now 'splashproof', which means if you get caught in a rainstorm, the camera is unlikely to be damaged.

You can also buy waterproof housings for many models; however caution is advised as many housings make controls difficult to access. Drybags are great for protecting cameras in the wet as they can be sealed to prevent water getting in. However, the camera has to be removed before you can use it! An umbrella can provide plenty of protection in low wind conditions - although you usually have to ask somebody to hold it for you.

Carry a small towel so you can wipe off splashes as they accumulate and prevent water from entering the most vulnerable areas (input jacks, lens mounts, buttons and seams). Use it before the lens is retracted to prevent water from entering the camera. Always dry your camera carefully when you come in from wet or humid conditions. Placing it in a plastic box or zip-lock bag with a sachet of silica gel (available from camera shops) will remove otherwise inaccessible moisture.

Travel Checklist
Here's a checklist of essential items for travelling with a digital camera:

1. One or more cameras plus their cables and user manuals.

2. Memory card(s) - allow for at least 1GB per day

3. Batteries and chargers - at least one spare battery (set of batteries) per camera.

4. Carry bag

5. Compact tripod or monopod (to overcome camera shake in dim lighting).

6. Plastic bag plus silica gel sachet and umbrella and towel for protection against water.

7. High-capacity storage facilities for downloading the shots you want to keep (laptop PC or portable storage device).

'Bring-if-you-can' items include add-on lenses, filters, accessory flash units and a drybag or waterproof housing.

http://www.photoreview.com.au/tips/buying/essential-items-for-travelling-photographers.aspx