Bryan Peterson's Understanding Composition Field Guide: How to See and Photograph Images with Impact Bryan F Peterson

Note: Page numbers in italics indicate images.

Abstract images, 1.1, 9.1, 9.2, 14.1, 14.2

Aperture

blurring background, 2.1, 2.2

examples illustrating effects of, 2.1, 2.2

importance of

storytelling compositions, 2.1–2.2, 2.3, 6.1

typical landscape options

visual weight and, 2.1, 2.2

where to focus and

Arrangement

importance of, itr.1, itr.2

willingness to use “virgin eye,”

Background

blurring, 2.1, 2.2

contrast and, 7.1

controlling, with collection of

examples illustrating, 4.1

quieting “crying babies” (distractions), 4.1–4.2, 6.1

trouble, causes and solutions, 4.1

“Bean” sculpture, 6.1, 14.1

“Best” trash image, 1.1

Bike rider, 2.1

Bird, 4.1

Blank canvas. See Empty (blank) canvas

Blur(ring)

backgrounds, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

embracing, 14.1

Book overview

Bottle cap, itr.1

Brick (or glass brick) walls, 5.1, 5.2, 13.1

Cats, 11.1, 13.1

Centering subjects, 14.1

Chain links, 7.1

Cityscapes and street scenes

blurring, 14.1

foreground interest, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3

framing with a frame, 10.1

horizontal versus vertical, 9.1

merging elements, 14.1

placing horizon line, 8.1

working the image, 12.1

Composition

as arrangement of content

willingness to use “virgin eye,”

Contrast

examples illustrating, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3

high-key and low-key

importance of

macro lens and

slight shifts affecting, 7.1–7.2

types of

visual weight and, 7.1–7.2

ways of creating

Cropping, 3.1–3.2

“Crying babies” (distractions), 4.1–4.2, 6.1

Decisive moment, capturing

examples illustrating, 13.1

missing instead of

phrase origin and definition

Details, small

discerning eye for

examples illustrating, 11.1

Dewdrops and raindrops, itr.1, itr.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 14.1

Dragonfly, 9.1

Eiffel Tower, 2.1, 14.1, 14.2

Elements, merging, 14.1

Empty (blank) canvas, 5.1

“artful” expression and

examples illustrating, 5.1

food tray analogy

macro lens and

seeing

Exercises, overview of

Expired meter and man, 11.1

Feather on rock, 5.1

Fine print. See Details, small

Fishing port “gold mines,” 1.1

Flipping abstract images, 9.1

Flowers and foliage

adding interest in foreground

backgrounds, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2

contrast examples, 7.1, 7.2

creating contrast, 7.1, 7.2

dewdrops/raindrops on, itr.1, itr.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 14.1

horizontal versus vertical

macro examples, itr.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3

motion and bluring, 2.1

multiple-exposure image, 1.1

small details of, 11.1

taking artistic license, 5.1

visual weight/horizon line examples, 8.1, 8.2, 14.1

working the image, 12.1

Focusing. See also Aperture; Shutter

speed

blurring background and, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

embracing blur, 14.1

optimizing front-to-back sharpness

technique for sharpness 14 inches to

Food, 5.1

examples illustrating, 6.1

using lines, 6.1

using texture, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4

wording, 6.1

Frame, filling

about: overview of

“blowing things out of proportion” and, 3.1, 3.2

breaking rule of, 14.1

closeness to subject and, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

crop tool and, 3.1–3.2

examples illustrating, 2.1, 3.1

eye and brain “fill up,” 2.1

moving closer for

two steps to success

Framing with a frame

ensuring something is in frame, 10.1

examples illustrating, 10.1

guidelines

Garbage. See Mundane, mining

Golden Section, 8.1, 8.2. See also

Rule of Thirds

Graffiti, hand and, 6.1

Grids, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 14.1

Hands (your own), photographs of, 6.1, 14.1

Horizon line

absence of, 8.1–8.2

bubble level for

camera built-in grid and, 8.1, 14.1

Golden Section and

line of “authority” mimicking, 8.1

in middle of image, 14.1

placement, examples illustrating, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 14.1

suggested or implied, 1.1, 8.1

tilting

tripods to control

visual weight and, 8.1, 8.2

Horizontal versus vertical

about: overview of

examples illustrating, 9.1

flipping abstract images, 9.1

messages of orientations

when to shoot vertically

“IBLIC” wall, 12.1

Images

“amazing,” defined

from camera vs. Photoshop

focusing. See Focusing

framing. See Framing references

measurement of success

mining. See Mining images

orientation of. See Horizontal versus

vertical

taking control of

Kayak storage yard, 8.1

Landscapes

capturing decisive moment, 13.1

contrast examples, 7.1

fire-hose box “mountainous landscape,” 8.1

foreground texture, 6.1, 6.2

framing. See Frame, filling; Framing

with a frame

hearing language of, See also Visual weight

horizon line in. See Horizon line

horizontal versus vertical

Rule of Thirds examples, 8.1

visual weight/horizon line examples, 8.1, 8.2

working the image, 12.1

Layers, defined

Leaf, 3.1

Leica D-Lux cameras

Lighthouse scene, 6.1

Lines. See also Horizon line

types of

using in foreground, 6.1

Macro photography

blank canvases with, 5.1

compelling images in mundane locations

contrast and

depth of field and

examples, itr.1, 1.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4

multiple-exposure image, 1.1

Merging elements, 14.1

Mining images, See also Decisive moment, capturing

chipping away at scenes

examples illustrating, 12.1

looking deeper and

lure of the Mother Lode

Motion

blur and, 2.1, 14.1

orientation of, See also Horizontal

versus vertical

shutter speed and, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

suggested or implied, 2.1, 8.1, 8.2, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3

Motocross motorcycle, 2.1, 3.1

Mundane, mining

about

examples illustrating, 1.1, 9.1

macro lenses and

Old Milwaukee girl under glass, 1.1

Parking garage composition, 5.1

Parking meter, 11.1

Portraits/people

backgrounds, 4.1, 4.2

blurring, 14.1

capturing decisive moment, 13.1

extreme contrast, 7.1

filling frame, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3

flipping abstract images, 9.1

foreground interest, 6.1

framing with a frame, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

horizontal versus vertical, 9.1

merging elements, 14.1, 14.2

small details example, 11.1

using empty canvas, 5.1 visual weight/horizon line and, 8.1, 14.1

working the image, 12.1

Ram, at decisive moment, 13.1

Rule of Thirds

application of

awakening eye to

being bound to

construction paper exercise

examples illustrating, 1.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4

the Golden Section and, 8.1, 8.2

graphically illustrated, 8.1

grids and, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 14.1

landscape not following, 8.1

mundane location shoots and, 1.1, 1.2

viewing screen grids and

visual weight and, See also

Visual weight

Rules, breaking

about: overview of

centering subjects, 14.1

embracing blur, 14.1

merging elements, 14.1

not filling frame, 14.1

tilting horizon line, 14.1–14.2

Sand dune and man, 6.1

Screen with dewdrops, 4.1

Seascapes. See Water scenes

Shutter speed, See also Focusing

examples illustrating effects of, 2.1

importance of, 2.1, 2.2

for safely shooting action

visual weight and, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Starfish composition, 2.1

Tilting horizon line, 14.1–14.2

Traffic light, 7.1

Tripods

Umbrella, flying, 5.1

Vertical images. See Horizontal versus

vertical

Visual weight. See also Horizon line

aperture/shutter speed and, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

contrast and, 7.1

controlling

defined

examples illustrating, 8.1

hearing language of landscapes and

Rule of Thirds and

Water, on/in camera

Water scenes dewdrops and raindrops, itr.1, itr.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 14.1

fishing port “gold mines,” 1.1

flying gulls and “flying” youth, 8.1

harbor fine details, 11.1

lines leading eye, 6.1, 6.2

seascapes, 2.1, 7.1

starfish composition, 2.1

Wide-angle lens

aperture and distance, 2.1

example images using, 2.1, 6.1, 6.2, 9.1, 11.1, 12.1, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4

focusing

framing with a frame, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

not filling frame, 14.1

use tips, 2.1, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 14.1

Windmills, 1.1, 10.1, 11.1, 14.1