I. Visual mess
Visual composition – it is not only the organization of elements into a coherent whole, their subordination and grouping, but the selection itself of those elements by placing the necessary emphasis. Failure to understand this simple fact often makes beginners and inexperienced people puzzled when viewing his photographs: “How so? Formal rules linking observed, and visual images not look too good … “However, the cause of failure is often obvious: the correct frame elements visually merge into a faceless” mush. ”
This “mess” – not necessarily a consequence of the fact that all lumped together. If individual elements are easy to read, but equal – the result will look dull, like training a picture from a book on composition.
Another reason many inexpressive visual images related to the fact that the author, for whatever reason can not complete a successful layout interesting light and color solution. For black and white photography, this means the problem either with light (light) during the shooting, or with the contrast on the print (too low or too high). When shooting in color may be a problem in the dominance of the so-called “dirty” colors.
In the fine art of “dirty” colors is called color close to the shades of gray. In his book D. Judd and G. Vyshetski [1] called dirty color dull gray, dull, dirty white, dark. In the language of computer graphics, this means that the RGB-components of these colors are almost equal, ie, quite close to each other. (For shades of gray to be exact equality: R = G = B). When working with paints “dirt” is obtained when the amateur painter too keen on mixing colors. If a child you have ever arrange kalyaku-malyaku by mixing five or six watercolors, then you have the perfect idea of what a “dirty” color.
What is bad “dirty” colors? The fact that human perception is constructed in such a way that the brain is struggling with a visual “mud” with all his might. That’s why it often turns out that the colors seem “clean” when you look through the viewfinder, the picture turned out quite expressionless. If the brain did not manage to achieve victory in the correction of color “dirt” – the world appears to us in a depressingly-depressed form. If it was that was the problem of the photographer, no problem. But more often than all the same goal is different.
In photography, “dirty” colors are often caused by problems with the light at the time of filming. For example, the midday summer sun often vybelivaet color. A thick cloud cover at low sun can drastically reduce the contrasts, like adding a little color to a virtual black. As a result, colors lose their expressiveness, in certain situations to take pictures too depressing monotone.
Thus, the photographer must be remembered that the visual expressiveness of the composition are inextricably linked to all four main factors: the layout, selection (accents), light and color (if it comes to color photography).
II. Separate the layout from the light, colors and accents
Problems of building successful visual solutions for beginners linked primarily to two factors.
First, it so happened that the literature on the basics of composition above all the reader how to achieve a successful build, that is as well to place some elements within the frame. On this particularly referred to in many articles, lines, shapes, spots, shapes, balance, visual centers, etc. Questions of emphasis in these articles, of course, are considered, but applied to a selection, visual elements formed. The author of these lines also could not resist and spent it on several articles (see [2-5]).
Secondly, even if the novice writer and mindful of light, color and emphasis, in practice, learn from your mistakes, what he gets is rare. Having dismal result, novice throws it in the trash without analyzing the reasons for the failure. And it’s not even so much reluctance, but in the inability to analyze.
Therefore, the presence of any analysis tools track will be a very good tool for people just starting their studies meaningful photograph. According to the author of these lines as a tool well suited artistic filters to the program Photoshop ®.
Established Artistic Filters not very good at their task. Expedient to use software solutions from third parties. For example, for the stated purposes can safely recommend a set of filters Virtual Painter [6].
I would like to emphasize: this writer does not propose to use these filters to create beautiful masterpieces of the computer, but not taken to insist on their complete unfitness for this purpose. Use these filters to simulate the art – it’s a separate issue, this article not related. Here we are talking only about the use of filters to analyze the composition.
What are the possibilities of entering into a set of Virtual Painter? Filter Drawing (Drawing) removes from the image fine details, replaces the form of generalized contours, instead of a solid color using color spots. Filter Oil Painting (Oil painting) focuses on color and form good wins “dirty” color. Filter Color Pencil (colored pencil) you can go to a generalized form, while maintaining some of the details. Etc. In other words, many filters in the successful application of image analysis easier by separating the layout of color, light and detail.
In some cases, these filters even help to explain why an artist and photographer, ceteris paribus obtained so different in the degree of aesthetic appeal of the results. But in this article still will focus on the use of these filters for learning the basics of composition.
III. Using Virtual Painter filters for analysis of failures
Here is an example of failure would be considered a few pictures, which the author did in the tourist trips. Problems with mass Travel Photography (photography related travel) is always a lot. Often, the author even understand in advance that the result will be bad because:
- The object must be removed at any other time of day (in the modal time?), But there is no opportunity for this;
- The object will merge with the background, but it is impossible to change the perspective;
- The object at the given weather conditions, will look “dirty”, but wait for the weather – is unthinkable;
etc.
But, nevertheless, picture still appears on the light. Just like that. For memory. Often, these images do not even get into the album, and lie in a separate envelope …
In this case, the problem of the original image – the glut of unnecessary detail, as well as the main object of low contrast with a rather colorful background. Computer processing of fully confirms this.
Example 2
Fig. 3. Moorish castle in Spain. Below – the result,
obtained by using a filter Oil Painting (Virtual Painter 4)
On the top photo light and color, unfortunately, leave much to be desired. This result forced the midday shooting up the Spanish sunshine. But in this case did not shoot would take his own memories of visiting this interesting place.
And everything is fine here with the layout? Maybe there is obvious flaws? The answer to this question can easily be obtained by considering the lower image in Figure 3. According to the author, the layout here have no complaints. The main problem of the original image – “dingy” colors.
Example 3
Fig. 4. Monument to Goya in Zaragoza. The right – result
obtained by using a filter Color Pencil (Virtual Painter 4)
In this case, the source of dissatisfaction with the big shot at the author does not call. If we convert this image into black and white version, it may even be a new way to express themselves, become more expressive. Well, if you still have the desire to preserve the color?
Color Pencil suggests one possible directions for improving the color scheme image.
Conclusions
Of course, an accomplished photographer does not need artificial instruments to analyze their own and others’ photographs. Newbies also similar tools can often be useful. Anyway, they are well demonstrated that the composition is not limited to the successful arrangement.
If the mentioned filters cause a beginner still and interest in painting, the author can safely assume that goal, standing in front of him during the writing of this article reached.