My photographic hobby

[MarioNintendo]

I thought I'd share this recent hobby of mine since a lot of people here make music and all that. I found out I really enjoy taking pictures with my iPhone of what surrounds me in my everyday routine or when I'm on vacation. I try to make these pictures useable for CD covers, for example, for people who like want to give an industrial feel to their song, a relaxing feel, and whatnot. I easily imagine someone just sticking his/her logo on there and BAM instant cover!

This is not professional at all, I only cropped the photos I took, nothing else is edited in here. I'm curious of what you think of these ideas or their execution, feedback would be appreciated and if, by any chance, you happen to stumble upon a photo you like, I don't mind you using it as long as you let me know. xD (Just remove the "l" before the .jpg to get full size picture)

Incoming photographic barrage (in order of taking the photos):

I got plenty more, btw. These are just some of the ones I liked. Also, people from Quebec might recognize some places!~

[Xiz]

I love the one looking up at the tree. I'd love it if you kept posting more

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

This is the best one of the bunch. Do like.

[Spenner]

I like the observations of shapes you're doing here. It's a good start, and it's something you want to keep up when looking for interesting things to shoot.

Next you need to practice framing and composing your photos because a simple subject like this:



Could have had a MUCH more effective impact if there were straight verticals, and it was composed with a focal point distinct in the image (windows would be the draw in the image, the lines around it would be points of interest that help the image). Also, the portion to the left is distracting from the shapes you're attempting to distinguish.

Try to keep framing and composing in mind for every shot you do, and remember: rule of thirds!!!!!!

Same thing applies for this image, try to make it routine to correct horizontal lines that are crooked, unless it's something you're going for (trust me in this case the image would have looked better with straight horizontals)


Here's something i just thought would look different which i'd though i'd post cuz yeah



But yeah, definitely keep it up ~

[Xiz]

Originally Posted by Spenner

rule of thirds!!!!!![/url]

Keep it up~

This.

I'm a film major guy. This is important

And listen to spenner, this kid knows what he's talking about haha

[infinity.]

the picture with the ducks is awesome

[MarioNintendo]

Hey guys, thanks for the good feedback!

I knew about the rule of thirds but I just tried to be a hipster and try something different at times. Other times, like the window with colors you (spenner) pointed out, this isn't my fault: I took the picture while standing tall in an accelerating train (metro?)! All things considered, I think I did a pretty good job: aiming was hard, especially on an iPhone. :P I also often take pictures while walking since I wanted to give a moving effect (or I just didn't have the time to stop)

I will keep in mind the "straight lines" comment, though. I don't think it should apply 100% of the time, take for example the picture with the blue screw in snow which I think looks great, but you're right; cropping that railroad picture looks better, though I don't allow myself to use photoshop effects like you did to change the colors.

I'll try to post some more in due time; mind you, they'll have the same flaws, lol. But hey, as I've said, if you like anything, let me know!

Also this is one of my personal favs


I know the lines are not straight but I think it could be fixed with more advanced cropping tools

[MarioNintendo]

Here's some new stuff? Haha



(I named it "The Officers", can you guess why?)

[Spenner]

This might sound weird but I picture this as a scene with a bunch of abstract stormtroopers marching together. lmao

Cool concept scene. Would change some things but its neat. Is there a specific reason why you shot that particular frame of view out of anything else? Just curious

[Xiz]

I saw a weird fooseball table the first time i saw it.

[bmah]

Originally Posted by Spenner

This might sound weird but I picture this as a scene with a bunch of abstract stormtroopers marching together. lmao

Not weird at all - I thought of exactly the same thing!

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Originally Posted by MarioNintendo

Here's some new stuff? Haha



(I named it "The Officers", can you guess why?)

This is going to sound way more harsh than I intend it, so please don't take this the wrong way

but I fail to see a point to the picture you just took. It's a room full of seats and a wall with a paper on it ect. So what?

An important part to taking pictures is not just the composition or the colors. Those are basics. The real thing that bothers me here is that this picture lacks a purpose. The purpose of a picture is important. Are you striving to give off an aura of say an eere field? Are you trying to capture a person? These sort of things to me, not all people however, are super important.

Sorry again if that seems harsh, but I do hope you understand the thing I'm getting at.

[Spenner]

Originally Posted by Xx{Midnight}xX

This is going to sound way more harsh than I intend it, so please don't take this the wrong way

but I fail to see a point to the picture you just took. It's a room full of seats and a wall with a paper on it ect. So what?

An important part to taking pictures is not just the composition or the colors. Those are basics. The real thing that bothers me here is that this picture lacks a purpose. The purpose of a picture is important. Are you striving to give off an aura of say an eere field? Are you trying to capture a person? These sort of things to me, not all people however, are super important.

Sorry again if that seems harsh, but I do hope you understand the thing I'm getting at.

While it is not strong, it is there. The image expresses with shape and form, by seeing these objects that look like they are marching. The viewer completes the picture in some cases with abstract or expressionistic imagery. The emotional reaction and associations made by the viewer are what completes the work.

A trick for viewing pictures is to not look for a meaning right away. Sometimes its too subtle to be found by looking at the bigger picture, and one needs to sort of relax and sink into less visible concepts being played on with it. Stop clinging to natural associations for things in the picture, and stop tainting what you're seeing with what is literally there instead of on what associations it generates in the mind.

if that makes sense~~ so yeah it's not that the meaning isn't there in some photos, it's that it's not strong enough to be noticed in some cases. I indeed can pull out a sort of context for the picture. I asked him why he decided to take this picture/frame it the way he did in order to get a stronger idea of whats being conveyed.

[MarioNintendo]

Hey guys, I really enjoy reading your responses. Even Middie: while you disliked the picture, it's all fine since you gave constructive criticism.

I think I really like to photograph emptiness. The more I watch my pictures, the more I realize I often focus on what is not there. It makes my mind wander, like saying "What would I see if I was in the center of that picture?". I think that way of doing pictures gives a much more personal viewing experience since everyone will feel something different. Does explaining it that way make sense...? (Edit: it sort of makes me want to enter the picture to fill its emptiness)

As for the framing, I have much to learn still, but I enjoyed the way the left and right walls seemed to pull the middle wall forward and I liked the big white S made of the middle wall and the seats. I thought the black things on those handle bars looked like Lego marine soldiers, which felt surreal because this is a class I go to everyday and never noticed that.

But I guess I should also mention I was just in my usual seat and didn't bother standing up to take the snapshot.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Originally Posted by MarioNintendo

Hey guys, I really enjoy reading your responses. Even Middie: while you disliked the picture, it's all fine since you gave constructive criticism.

I think I really like to photograph emptiness. The more I watch my pictures, the more I realize I often focus on what is not there. It makes my mind wander, like saying "What would I see if I was in the center of that picture?". I think that way of doing pictures gives a much more personal viewing experience since everyone will feel something different. Does explaining it that way make sense...? (Edit: it sort of makes me want to enter the picture to fill its emptiness)

Pardon my bumping, I never checked back to see your response:

But I mean it's not that I "dislike" the picture. I just was trying to point out I failed to see a crisp clear cut point to it. I just wanted to point out something that my photography and video instructors asked me to always keep in mind when composing a shot, which was the "so what?" If you can't even make headway at answering this, your work won't be as great as it can be, and it will also keep you from taking pictures of the same exact things over and over again and force new positioning and ideals on you. First year of photo class I spent half the year trying figure out a good way to go about this, and it's gonna differ between peoples.

But yeah the idea of emptiness is a bit fitting when I actually think about it. I like that idea.

[Quigly]

Originally Posted by MarioNintendo

Hey guys, thanks for the good feedback!

I knew about the rule of thirds but I just tried to be a hipster and try something different at times. Other times, like the window with colors you (spenner) pointed out, this isn't my fault: I took the picture while standing tall in an accelerating train (metro?)! All things considered, I think I did a pretty good job: aiming was hard, especially on an iPhone. :P I also often take pictures while walking since I wanted to give a moving effect (or I just didn't have the time to stop)

I will keep in mind the "straight lines" comment, though. I don't think it should apply 100% of the time, take for example the picture with the blue screw in snow which I think looks great, but you're right; cropping that railroad picture looks better, though I don't allow myself to use photoshop effects like you did to change the colors.

I'll try to post some more in due time; mind you, they'll have the same flaws, lol. But hey, as I've said, if you like anything, let me know!

Also this is one of my personal favs


I know the lines are not straight but I think it could be fixed with more advanced cropping tools

this is interesting to me because of the obvious division into thirds, and i love the dialogue between the red-orange of the crates and the red-orange of the building. however the segment of wire in the top right is superfluous to the composition.

as for the "straight line" dilemma i believe that a slightly slanted line is less interesting than a perfectly horizontal line or an obvious diagonal (you have a great utilization of diagonals in your photos by the way) HOWEVER if you pair a slightly slanted line with other opposing diagonals/verticals/horizontals that opens up many possibilities for you

[MarioNintendo]

Originally Posted by Quigly

this is interesting to me because of the obvious division into thirds, and i love the dialogue between the red-orange of the crates and the red-orange of the building. however the segment of wire in the top right is superfluous to the composition.

as for the "straight line" dilemma i believe that a slightly slanted line is less interesting than a perfectly horizontal line or an obvious diagonal (you have a great utilization of diagonals in your photos by the way) HOWEVER if you pair a slightly slanted line with other opposing diagonals/verticals/horizontals that opens up many possibilities for you

Wow, thanks for the kind comment! I'll keep working on that