Light and Depth
Lesson 37 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
Light and Depth
Lesson 37 from: Mastering Photographic Composition and Visual StorytellingChris Weston
Lessons
Your 10,001st Photograph
03:24 2Camera Gear
03:03 3Piece of Gear We Always Forget
03:47 4Be a Storyteller
03:09 5Finding Ideas For Photography - Know Your Subject
06:59 6Cae Study - Why Are Zebras Black and White Striped
01:30 7Photograph What You Love
02:00 8See the Extraordinary in Ordinary Things
01:31Have an Opinion
01:46 10See With a Child’s Eyes
02:34 11Tell Your Story
08:46 12Find a Needle in the Haystack
01:38 13Lions Hunting Under Star Trails
04:21 14Ansel Adams and Visualisation in Practice
03:20 15Keeping an Open Mind and Thinking on Your Feet
02:47 16Case Study - The Maternal Bond
02:42 17Don’t Tell the Same Old Story
02:38 18Relevance
01:06 19#1 Reason Photographs Fail
02:57 20Getting Rid of Clutter
03:59 21Post Capture Cropping
02:04 22The Elements of Design
02:31 23Elements of Design
01:38 24Elements of Design - Shape
02:21 25Case Study - Shape
02:11 26Elements of Design - Color
01:55 27Case Study - Color
01:50 28Color in Camera
01:42 29Pattern
01:54 30Texture
02:24 31Seeing The Elements of Design
08:52 32Gestalt Theory
05:10 33Case Study - Cove
01:36 34Case Study - Hat
02:09 35Light and Contrast
01:54 36Light and Form
01:26 37Light and Depth
03:48 38Perspective
02:28 39Lenses and Perspective
02:47 40Rule of Thirds
02:48 41Centre of Frame
01:36 42Case Study - Positioning the Subject
01:48 43Positioning the Subject - Dynamic Symmetry
03:20 44The Horizon Line
02:52 45Should the Horizon Line Always be Straight and Level
02:13 46Other Lines
04:57 47Rhythm, Balance, and Visual Weight
02:59 48Negative Space
02:29 49The Two Most Important Controls on Your Camera
03:41 50Training the Mind
04:26Lesson Info
Light and Depth
in the last lesson, we saw how tone in the form of light and shadow gives form to the shape of individual objects. Tonal contrast can also be used great illusion of depth throughout the whole image space. Because the photograph is two dimensional areas of high contrast project forward, while areas of low contrast recede. If an image contains no contrast to speak off, it may appear flat because no one area stands out from another. Instead, the eye is drawn across the scene, left to right, rather than into the scene. Front to back. Now to show you what I mean. Take a look at the scene behind me. In real life, this scene contains a lot of depth, but because there's no contrast, the image looks flat, which becomes even more apparent when I convert the image to black and white. But if I wait a while for different lighting, it would be a very different story. So now, with the sunlight falling on the foreground rock on the background in shadow, the image appears more three dimensional and aga...
in you can see a distinct difference when I convert. The black and white contrast creates depth now I'm gonna hang around until the morning, because tomorrow I'm going to show you a completely different picture. So last night, I said I was going to show you a completely different picture on here. It is when shooting in color depth may also be implied by exploiting atmospheric perspective. What do I mean by that? Well, take a look at the hills in the background on notice how the color of light gets more blue, the further away they get. This is because we're looking at them through a layer of molecules that are reflecting blue light on. By emphasizing this color caste, which I've done using white balance, you can add to the illusion of depth in your photographs. Another way to create a sense of depth is with color for example, red and green, a complimentary but contrasting colors. So if I take this red flower and photograph it against a green background, I create the appearance of depth. Now to illustrate this, if I take this image and make it black and white, you can clearly see that without color and contrast. The image appears flat. And just to emphasize the point if I put the color back. The illusion of depth returns. Saturation is another tool I can use to affect visual depth. Vivid colors project forward what the saturated colors recede, so an image that has a uniform level of saturation will appear flat. But I can create the illusion of death by selectively de saturating one every. The scene in post areas of contrasting sharpness also affect how we perceive depth objects that a sharp project forward while areas of blur recede. So without other compositional tools such as leading lines, an image that is foreground to background sharpness may appear flat. Reducing depth of field will add depth by emphasizing either foreground or background. By blurring the background, I've created an illusion of depth in the field of poppies. Contrast then in all its forms, whether it's tonal color saturation, all atmospheric is a tool that may be used to give your photographs a true sense of depth, and that enables you to more accurately portray the physical world we live in on a flat piece of paper or computer screen
Ratings and Reviews
Edmund Cheung
Perhaps the style of presentation and simple, short, and direct messaging does not "jive" with some; but others may really love this. Yes the production of each episode is stylized and perhaps a bit formal (like a TV Show?), but there is something to be said about it. Perhaps this is not meant for professional photographers? I think of myself as decent amateur / high level photographer. I found lots of great nuggets of wisdom and inspiration from this. Especially when I an in a rut for creativity. Yes I have heard all these concepts and ideas before. BUT it is always great to hear and see a different way of presentation and voice. Please do NOT take the naysayer reviews as the end all. You should judge for yourself and watch a few episodes. If the style and content click for you, I would highly recommend this course.
Abdullah Alahmari
Thanks a lot to mr. Chris Weston This course is great and It is a 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 course for me. Beside the other course ( mastering the art of photography ) both courses are Complementing to each other and highly recommended.
Kai Atherton
While I am perhaps more advanced in my photography then this course. It is always great to be able to go back to fundamentals and remind ourselves of the basic principles, and even camera function. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and Chris's other. It is a great motivational jumpstart when lacking fresh creative idea's.
Student Work
Related Classes
Beginner