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turning photographs into art

Go beyond snapshots and catch the photo bug by kicking it up a click with artistic photography. Here are some ideas on ways to take aim at making your photographs more akin to art. This article assumes you already understand the basic terminology of photography.

Focus and depth of field
Clear, precise photos require a knowledge of depth of field and focus. When you want a picture of a specific subject, like a portrait or a car, you use a shallow depth of field to create a sharp and well-focused image of the main subject, leaving the rest of the photo blurred. This means setting your camera to a low f-stop.

If you want everything in the photo to be sharp, like when you are shooting a group photo at a family reunion or a beautiful pastoral scene, you create a broad depth of field with a higher f-stop number.

Creating a blurred image too, with no specific focal point, can be an interesting way to present a scene. Try it out and see if you like it.

Film speed
Both traditional and digital film have speed ratings, indicating how quickly the film reacts to light. A low ISO (50, 100 or 200) is normally used in bright conditions like sunny days or with studio lights and produces less grainy images without a lot of saturation. A high ISO (400, 800 or 1600) rated film is usually used in lower light situations and produces a grainier image. Change the way you usually would select film for your creative projects, fiddling with shutter speeds, and varying lighting conditions for more artistic flair and a grain change.

Symmetry and composition
Turn  ordinary scenes into fascinating images by changing the amount of negative space around the subject matter. Take the time to “design” your photograph, emphasizing the focal point by moving objects toward it or away from it. Remember the rule of thirds? Throw it out the window in favor of artistic expression.

Art emerges from your soul and takes shape in the eye of the beholder. Use your photography skills to expresses yourself – and don’t worry about what others think of your art. Experiment, experiment, experiment and, above all, enjoy!

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