I find the rules of photography interesting. Interesting in that they are good guidelines, and challenging in that, as an image creator, you need to decide when the best time to break the rules are. This week’s challenge pertains to my favorite rule, the rule of thirds. It’s my favorite because I find it to be the most challenging of rules. It is almost always a good composition guideline but can be the most fun to try to creatively break.
I stuck with following the rule this time around because I am working on a project where I think the rule applies. I am just starting to work on a series of images dealing with concussion. My youngest has one, and it has meant serious restrictions on activity. In this first image I am working on conveying the difficulty of reading when your vision is blurred.
I felt the rule of thirds worked for this image because putting the figure in the bottom right corner with the book out of focus and overwhelming in the image just seemed to make sense. I shot this scene a few different ways, but this one, where even the figure was slightly out of focus, was my favorite.
I used my 50mm lens to get this image. I was also trying out a magnifying lens that I inherited recently, but I liked the 50mm images better. The shutter speed is slow on this image, so I started with my tripod but then ended up rearranging the image and just put the camera on the floor. I’m using natural morning light only and even with a slow shutter speed, and an aperture of 3.5, I still needed to bump the ISO to 640.
Once I picked this image from the several different versions I had shot, I cropped it a bit in Photoshop and then added a bit more blur using the iris blur filter.
So what do you think, does this image convey what I am trying to get across? Do you think this was a good use of the rule of thirds?
Cheers!
The contrast is perfect 🙂
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Thank you.
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The lego piece looks like Emmett from The Lego movie – my cat is named after Emmett 🙂
Great photo – I learned a lot from this week’s challenge and I enjoy your interpretation of it!
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Thanks, we have so many little lego figures running around the house, it’s hard to keep track of who is who 🙂
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it’s great, I love the setting!
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Thanks!
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Well done, Amy. It’s a cute photo. 🙂
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Thank you!
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This is a great photograph, Amy. The Lego Man looks so out of place there in front of that big book, great subject choice. Sometimes we just feel so small when things are out of our control, like when we have concussion or suffer from panic attacks like I do. Also, I like what you did in Photoshop. You blurred it out very nicely. Always fun and tricky playing around with light, isn’t it 🙂
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Thanks Mabel, that contrast in size was definitely a thought out choice. I just thought it would bring in the idea of something being overwhelming and out of our control.
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I love your image, Amy. I also hope you keep your youngest well away from any thoughts of that crazy brand of football you have. Surely the evidence is now irrefutable about repeated brain injury, even from lesser impacts that don’t cause actual concussion.
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Yeah, it’s interesting how much more is known about concussion now than when I was growing up. Dealing with it is frustrating because it is not an exact timeline for recovery in the way something like a broken bone tends to be.
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The image if perfect – in fact it would make a fabulous advert for the dangers, which are so in the news these days. hope your little one is recovering well!
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Thanks. I was surprised when I started thinking about doing a series of images and looked for others that had already been done, that there really weren’t very many. Thanks for the well wishes!
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It is an awesome shot for the rule of thirds. I love the color contrast, plus the blur works for both the photo and to go with the sad story about your son’s concussion. I hope he recovers soon!
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Thanks, recovery is going slower than hoped for, but it is coming along.
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Love the sense of fun in this image and the contrast. I also appreciate your insights. Have a great day!
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Thanks!
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Very cute, and fanciful!
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Thanks 🙂
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Rules for photos, like rules for grammar, can be broken when you know what you’re doing. Great job, Amy. 😉
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Thank you!
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I love the ‘a-crucial-herculean-task-awaits’ feel of it. 🙂
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Thanks, that is what I was trying to get across 🙂
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