Composition Class... Learning to See

The Shasta Photo Club has a new series of classes going on this year and the first one was on composition. We are trying to learn to see in new ways and apply those lessons to our images. In this first image I was trying to incorporate Triangles & Curves. The Triangles are the rocks pointing inward and the water is the curve drawing your eye through the center. The bush at the top is the Anchor, it serves to stop your eye and give you a resting place.

The day was rainy and dreary and conditions were tough so I decided early on to try and make small images isolating detail. This shot attempts to use Diagonal lines, Light vs Dark, Rule of 3rds & Bokeh.

Curves..... Since God created woman we have been held hostage to "S" curves. They are always great and never fail to grab attention. We were instructed not to make the same picture over and over and were only allowed two hours as a group. This curve caught my eye, hopefully the instructor likes trees! I like this photo but it lacks a true subject so I expect it to get criticized pretty heavily.

Diminishing Lines & Rules of 3rds, I attempted to take a simple yet classic portrait. Imagine a farmers daughter instead of a hay fork and you get the idea. With the weather and wind pounding us, isolating details and taking small photos was the only real choice.

Inside the barn there were tools to see and it was dry! This image uses geometric shapes, Rule of 3rds and Delay. That is another way of saying that you should be surprised when after a moment you notice the hole in the upper right hand corner.

That's it for now, we were required to make 5 images and stick to 4x6. The outing was tougher than I thought it would be, not having a lot of time and being forced to try and make different styles of images was a stretch, the conditions would usually send me off in search of nothing but macro shots, having an assignment made me look for more.

Thanks for reading....

The Farmers Market - It's Good For Everyone

“Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population”- Albert Einstein

Most of my friends are conservatives. So spending time at the Farmers Market is something totally different for me.

Everywhere I looked there were Jugglers, HackySack circles, Hula Hoops... It was like a party for 500!

The vegetables were amazing.

I liked it, the people were fun to hang out with, peaceful and friendly and for the most part easy going. I think it is safe to say that liberals make the best artists, entertainers, singers and writers. There is something inherent in the creative process that insists on living with idealism as a core value.

Here is an example of an idea that has been gaining in popularity and someday will be embraced by the majority. The local farmers market. This one in Arcata, Ca and has more hippies per sq foot than anywhere in the USA. It has been running successfully for years, even decades.

Perhaps it is not an idea that can work everywhere and for all things, but the essence of the place is good. Go see for yourself, it’s every Saturday in Arcata, CA.

Thanks for reading!