These days, many of us take photos of what we are having for lunch or dinner to share on social media. But we don’t have to just take the photo of the plate sitting right in front of us—we can use our dinner (or lunch!) to experiment with composition. You can turn your meal into a still life composition by playing with colors, shapes, textures, placement, angle, and patterns.
Choose a meal to use as your still life to further experiment with both composition and camera support. (You want to take your time, so make sure you are not so hungry that you eat parts of your still life!) You’ll ultimately submit six images for this activity: three that experiment with composition (specifically using the rule of thirds) and three that experiment with camera support.
Composition:
Basing your composition on the rule of thirds, you’ll want to end up with three good shots. Remember to consider the grid lines and use them as guide lines. Perhaps place important objects and emphasis on the places where the grids intersect. Remember that the grid lines are in the rectangle of the frame of your photo—not on the placemat in front of you—so, if you are shooting from a sharp angle, the grid will fall differently on your objects. Feel free to move the different foods on your plate around to experiment.
Camera Support:
Next, experiment with using support for your camera while you take pictures. Try taking macro or very close-up shots, where any camera shake will cause problems in the photos. If you have access to a tripod, set that up and see what new options and/or difficulties it brings to your work. If you don’t have a tripod, or want to experiment further, try placing your camera on a beanbag, bracing your elbows on the table to keep you still, or bracing against another solid surface. Don’t forget the old trick of holding your breath while you snap. Make sure to come up with three good shots using camera support.
Keep notes while you work, noting what different techniques or compositions you are trying to create. After you are done, write two to three paragraphs reflecting on your experience. Be sure to provide an explanation about what sort of camera support you used and how it ultimately helped.
As always, remember to create a folder and upload your Unit 5 Activity images there, each with a clear name identifying the photograph. Submit all six photos (labeled appropriately), and your written reflection on this exercise.
Consider selecting several photos from this activity to copy into your working Portfolio folder as well.
(could someone please make it easier to understand what I have to do? Im not actually a photography major, this is just a required arts elective for my half online school, and I have no clue what some of these terms mean!)
