Photography

=**Photography**=


 * [|Photography]** is an art form that has changed since the first [|camera obscura] and [|pinhole cameras]. Through many chemical discoveries, photography went from using silver compounds to plastic photographic film. By the 1990s [|digital photography] became affordable for many professional photographers and hobbyist. Both film and digital photography serve the same purpose, to capture an image. Great photographs evoke or communicate emotion and are composed according to basic elements of design.[[image:cam_obs.jpg width="222" height="183" align="right" caption="camera obscura"]]


 * [|ELEMENTS OF VISUAL DESIGN AS APPLIED TO PHOTOGRAPHY]**

__**Line**__ Lines lead a viewer's eyes through the image. Horizontal lines are thought to give a tranquil feel to am image while vertical lines are said to indicate power.

__**Shape**__ Shapes are made by lines in a picture or other object in the picture that border to create a shape. The space that a shape occupies is positive space while the area around shapes in negative space.

__**Form**__ Form refers to use of light in a photograph. The direction of light in a photograph can change how a viewer perceives an image. Texture, another visual design element, is enhanced by early morning and late afternoon light called oblique lighting.

Color Warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Cool colors are blue, purple and green. In a visual composition, cool colors recede and warm colors create a sense of advancing.

__**Dominance**__ Dominance is the manipulation of size and the use of color to capture and keep a viewers attention. Warm colors dominate cool colors. Centered objects get the most attention, but the most effective placement is just to the side of center. An example of something small dominating a picture is a point of non-conformity, like a daisy amid a field of dandelions.

__**Coherence**__ Coherence refers to the degree to which the parts of a picture belong together. This is achieved through the grouping of similar shapes, colors and textures.

__**Balance**__ Large and dark objects must be balanced with small and light shapes.

__**Rhythm**__ Just as the beat repeats and keeps the rhythm in music, the repetition of a shape or object creates rhythm and engages the eye in a photograph.

__**Proportion**__ Golden Ratio 1:1.618 - Humans may be genetically programmed to recognize this ratio as being pleasing. The Golden Ratio is also known as the divine proportion. According to the Golden Ratio, in a line AC, point B must divide the line in such a way that the ratio of BC to AB is the same as the ratio of AB to AC. (Source: [|http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/symbolism/golden_ratio/)]

Rule of Thirds - This is where a picture is divided into three sections vertically and horizontally and lines and points of intersection represent places to position important visual elements (Source: [|http://photoinf.com/General/Robert_Berdan/Composition_and_the_Elements_of_Visual_Design.htm).]

[|Photojournalism] Photojournalism refers to photographs that are used for media purposes. They are different from artistic photography based on their timeliness, objectivity and narrative.

Click on this [|link] to see great examples of photojournalism from 2007.

[|Photo-illustration] A type of computer art that begins with a digitized photograph. Using special image enhancement software, the artist can then apply a variety of __special effects__ to transform the photo into a work of art.

Click on this [|link] for examples of photo-illustration.