Picture Perfect Practice: A Self-Training Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Taking World-Class Photographs

Contents......Page 7
Foreword......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
How to Read This Book......Page 15
The Location, Posing, and Execution Charts......Page 17
PART 1: LOCATIONS......Page 18
1 GEOMETRY......Page 20
Geometry for Framing......Page 22
Geometry in the Environment......Page 24
Geometry for Balance......Page 26
Putting It All Together......Page 27
2 BALANCE......Page 28
Balancing with Objects......Page 29
Balancing with Space......Page 32
3 PARALLEL LINES......Page 38
Working with Horizontal Lines......Page 39
Working with Vertical Lines......Page 41
4 SYMMETRY......Page 44
Combining Vertical Symmetry with People......Page 46
Combining Horizontal Symmetry with People......Page 48
5 COLOR ELEMENTS......Page 52
Find an Area Where the Colors Are Part of the Same Family......Page 53
The Three-Color Limit......Page 55
6 DEPTH......Page 60
Depth with Context......Page 61
Depth for Mood......Page 62
Depth with Movement......Page 66
7 SHADOWS......Page 70
Using Dark Rooms Outside to Create Striking Portraits with Shadows......Page 71
Navigate by the Shadows on the Ground......Page 76
Casting Shadows from Objects to Create Graphical Interest on a Portrait......Page 78
Using an Off-Camera Flash or Video Light to Force Shadows to Appear Where Desired......Page 80
8 SILHOUETTES......Page 84
Vital Components of Silhouettes......Page 85
Creating the Opportunity for Silhouettes......Page 86
Partial Silhouettes......Page 87
Posing Silhouettes......Page 89
Creating Contrasting Silhouettes......Page 91
9 REFLECTIONS......Page 94
Reflections Using a Single Mirror......Page 95
Reflections Using Two Mirrors......Page 100
Using Beveled Mirrors......Page 101
Reflections from Water......Page 103
Finding Reflections in Unlikely Places......Page 105
10 PATTERNS AND REPETITIONS......Page 110
Breaking a Pattern to Isolate a Subject......Page 111
Combining Patterns with Geometry......Page 112
Combining Patterns with Geometry and Symmetry......Page 116
Working with Repetitions......Page 117
11 FRAMING......Page 120
Creating Action Inside a Frame......Page 121
Creating Frames......Page 122
Natural Frames......Page 124
Double Frames......Page 127
ABSTRACT FRAMES......Page 128
Framing with People......Page 129
Framing with Meaning......Page 130
12 PAINTINGS AND ARTWORK......Page 132
Removing Context......Page 133
Composition with Paintings and Artwork......Page 135
Technical and Lighting Tips......Page 138
13 CONTRASTS......Page 142
Old and New......Page 143
Big and Small......Page 145
Bright and Dark......Page 146
Contrasting Expressions......Page 148
Age Contrast......Page 149
Contrasting Colors......Page 152
Breaking the Status Quo......Page 153
14 LENS FLARE......Page 156
Moving Halos Away from the Body......Page 157
Block and Crop......Page 159
Setting Priorities......Page 161
Advanced Lens Flare Techniques......Page 162
15 WALLS, TRANSLUCENT SURFACES, AND TEXTURES......Page 164
Walls and Shade......Page 165
Using Walls as Reflectors......Page 171
Think Like a Photographer......Page 174
Using Natural Walls......Page 175
Superimposing Designs on Walls......Page 176
Wall Textures......Page 177
Making Texture Work for You......Page 178
Using Contrasting Textures......Page 180
Translucent Materials......Page 182
PART 2: POSES......Page 186
16 FIVE KEY POSING TECHNIQUES......Page 188
Technique 1: Systematically Sculpting the Body......Page 189
Technique 2: Posing the Hands......Page 194
Technique 3: Posing the Face......Page 197
Technique 4: Injecting Expression and Balancing Energies......Page 199
Technique 5: Give Specific Directions......Page 203
17 POSING CHART......Page 204
Traditional......Page 205
Him Behind Her......Page 209
Her Behind Him......Page 211
Walking......Page 214
Kissing......Page 218
Playful, Action, Movement......Page 223
Holding Hands......Page 227
Sitting......Page 230
Together Side by Side......Page 233
Interpretive......Page 236
Distance Apart......Page 241
Hugging......Page 244
Foreground/Background......Page 247
Facing Each Other......Page 251
Kiss Anticipation......Page 255
Featuring Him......Page 256
Featuring Her......Page 257
T-Pose......Page 259
PART 3: EXECUTION......Page 262
18 EXECUTION......Page 264
Lighting through Direction......Page 265
Simplicity through Subtraction......Page 267
Beauty through Angles......Page 269
Perspective through Lenses......Page 276
PART 4: DELIBERATE PRACTICE......Page 278
19 DELIBERATE PRACTICE......Page 280
Perform......Page 281
Discover......Page 282
Breaking It Down......Page 284
Analyze......Page 285
Step-by-Step Practice Session......Page 286
Final Practice Examples......Page 294
FINAL WORDS......Page 304
C......Page 306
F......Page 307
L......Page 308
P......Page 309
R......Page 310
U......Page 311
Z......Page 312