Vivid Sydney Festival 2010

Ahh! I can't believe I forgot to post these! I found it unfinished in my post list!

Jeremy and I went out with Owen and Rachel few months ago to see the pretty lights at the Vivid Sydney Festival. The festival was in it's second year this year and celebrates Sydney's history by projecting art and graphics onto it's many iconic buildings. We had a good time but it was cold! And after finding Max Brenner had a line 30 people deep for hot chocolate, we opted for Krispy Kreme. No one was disatisfied though. ;)

Enjoy the photos!

Reel Dance Film Festival

As I said in my previous post, I was recently asked to do the photography for the Reel Dance Film Festival here in Sydney. It all came about because of the Newtown Festival photos I had done previously and one of the event planners remembered me when she needed a photographer for her newest event.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect or how things would go when I showed up. My first job was to get some photos of the theatre itself and all the gift bags left out on the seats for guests.

And then the guests started to show up, so off I went to the foyer! One of the great things about this festival was the magnificent location! Held at Carriage Works in Everleigh, Sydney, the facility is actually a series of old train repair shops converted into a restaurant and event center.

The whole thing was so artsy from the facility, to the marketing material, the decorations, and the clothes! I felt like I was at an Soho art gallery opening!

Once everyone got seated, the festival kicked off with some guest speakers and some very interesting films. Unfortunately, it seemed a few people were confused about what exactly "dance on film" meant (myself included). The directors interpreted dance on film to mean the relationship of movement of any kind on film.

To be honest, that interpretation seemed a bit liberal to me because one film in particular focused on objects moving (think a raft across a pool or smoke from a cigarette) and rapid cuts between shots of statues (which don't move--but maybe that's the point?). It was all a little too avant-garde for my tastes but none the less fun to be a part of!

While the films were finishing up, I left the theatre and went to shoot the rest of the facility and the after party room. However, much to my disappointment, my tripod collapsed just before I took this photo, busting up my lens and pretty much scaring the absolute crap out of me.

I really wasn't sure what I would be able to pull out after that because my only two lenses left were a fish eye (very artsy) and a telephoto (not good for low light). But I managed to get out a few things!

(That food looked so good I nearly jumped on the table and smashed it into my face!)

(And after watching my lens bust apart, I was feeling like a few glasses of wine too! Alas, I had to leave it for the guests!)

Despite my lens being busted and my camera in an unknown state, I managed to hold it together until Jeremy showed to walk me home. The next day was pretty rough and I tried really hard to find them a replacement photographer, without any luck though. (I just don't know many in Sydney.) But they were cool with it and very pleased with what I could give them from the first night.

Hopefully the money will come together quickly to replace the lens (and camera?) soon so I can get back out and take more photos! And hopefully those wonderful event planners who sourced me for this event will think of me again!

The Power is in Your Hands: Composition Part 2

A Sense of Scale

I'm sure that at first glance you can't see the tiny man but he's there! He's a little black vertical line in the bottom right corner. Of course, at this size he's too small to give you a sense of scale but at the original size of this photo, you definitely get a sense of how BIG the pyramids are!

If you're photographing something big, try sticking something in the frame to help your viewers put the subject in perspective like a plant in a big window, a squirrel next to a giant tree--use your imagination!

Sports/Action Shots

To be a good spots photographer, you have to learn to anticipate your photo. For repetitive activities like kicking a punching bag, mentally count how quick their movements are and take your photo accordingly. And get to know your shutter speeds! Become familiar with what kinds of speeds you need to get certain shots. Obviously if your shooting a runner, you'll need a quicker speed. 

These taekwando photos didn't turn out so well at first but after a little while I got the hang of how fast they were moving and learned to anticipate their actions. This one in particular wasn't super fast, just super high. By the time he reached this height, his momentum had slowed significantly so it was actually pretty easy to anticipate this shot. I think I got it in just the right place! But if you recall a photo I posted recently of an apple exploding, that was an extremely fast shutter speed (and I should mention, an extremely lucky shot!). Of course, it took me several times to get it right. They were kicking apples left and right so I had time to practice my timing. You might not always have that chance to practice but you'll get the hang of it sooner or later and then you won't need so many practice shots!

Symmetry

Symmetry is one subject split in the middle so that one side mirrors the other. This was the best example I could find from my own work of symmetry.

Why is symmetry so captivating? I think it's because very little is symmetrical in nature--thus it's so eye catching! We find ourselves looking at symmetrical things and wondering why we can't look away; what is it that makes it different? In fact, I've heard it said that some of the most successful models have very symmetrical faces (a rarity among humans).

Radial Composition

The idea behind radial composition is that there is one central point from which everything moves out from. 

Another great example of radial photos? Try photographing a ferris wheel with blurred movement but make sure to keep your frame tight around the subject!

Going Somewhere & Coming from Somewhere

One great way to capture the sense of a journey is to use tracks--they are great and lead your eye right through the photo (front to back or back to front!). 

Other tips: try photographing people from behind to get the sens that you're following them or to get a view of what's ahead. You might also try playing with the size of your subject and the placement of them in the frame. Obviously big and in foreground will give you a sense that there is something beyond your subject, where as small and in the background will give you a sense of what's behind them.

Depth of Field (DOF)

Depth of Field refers to the sense you get that something is far away or close by which is easy to achieve by blurring portions of your photo but leaving your subject sharp and in focus. This can be achieved by either moving in really close so that all things in the background are blurred, or by increasing the f-number (decreasing the aperture diameter) will increases the DOF.

This is a pretty typical and standard photographer's tip which will definitely make your photos stand out from the rest.

The Power is in Your Hands: Composition Part 1

There is a lot to be said about how to compose your photos so I've decided to split this subject into two posts. However, before we start talking about composition ideas, let me just say that there are a few cardinal rules about composition.

1. As yourself what you want to photograph and photograph it and nothing else. Anything extra in your photo should enhance the subject and never draw attention away from it. This is a common problem with "tourist" shots. People want their photo taken in front of the waterfall or the church or the statue to remind them that they were there. Well, actually, if you have the photo then that is the reminder. If you put your face in front of it, you draw attention away from the most important part: that amazing place you visited. Spend your time focusing on the magnificent beauty you're beholding, not on how your hair looks in the last 10 frames.

 

This is a really good example of the awkward "we were here!" photo. The giant Buddha was cool but we really didn't need another photo of us together. We knew we had been there. Not to mention we just look awful!

2. Fill your frame. Forget this whole "in a land far, far away" thing and fill your frame with your subject. If you got to a tennis match and your favorite player is up, zoom in! Get close and put that person in the photo! If your frame is too far back, you'll lose the magic. A good rule for portraits, no face should ever be smaller than a nickle no matter what size of print it is.

Here's a good example of where I should have filled my frame:

I love this picture because this old Vietnamese woman is trying so hard to row against the rain and wind in the storm in her little boat while all the bigger ones are safely anchored. But the photo is so far away that the focus is a bit lost on her. She's a little too small and it's easy to be distracted by the other boats. If I had actually used that zoom of mine, it would have been much, much better!

Okay, the good stuff! With those two cardinal rules in mind, let's talking about composition ideas and styles.

The Rule of Thirds
This is your classic photography rule. Basically, the idea is that if you draw two lines in equal measure across your photo horizontally and vertically--splitting your photo into three sections of equal siz, anything under the four intersecting points will naturally draw the eye.

As you can see, the top right intersection is perfectly placed on the forehead of the woman as is the top left intersection on the woman in the background. But more so, that top line connects all four women which allows the eye to easily move between them and makes the photo feel more connected.

The Middle

My old art teacher, Dan Rice, used to say never put anything in the center unless it's really important because the center is a powerful and confronting place. In many ways Dan is right. A centrally placed subject can be very confronting and will always grab the viewer's attention.

This photo is of the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Eternal Flame in Yerevan, Armenia. It is a very solemn place where visitors are compelled to hold their breath in silent honor for the dead. I took a lot of photos here and sure, many of them were off-center, but it was the center one that worked best. Why? Because these slain Armenians demand our attention and should be the focus of the photo.

Of course, you can do whatever you want--rules were meant to be broken! But just remember than the center is your special place to make a statement so choose wisely!

Reflections

Reflections are a great way to make an ordinary scene abstract! I've taken lots of photos this way before using monorail windows, mirrors, picture frames, windows--you name it! Perhaps the most over-used example is the sunglasses (but I still like it anyway).

Patterns

Everything in nature has a patter be it the buds on a fern or the veins in a feather. But artificial things have patterns too! Any pattern will capture the viewers attention. And remember, symmetry in patterns isn't necessarily a requirement!

Sense of Movement

Are you watching a dance? At a sports came? Or maybe you're just on the beach and looking at waves? Movement is all around us and just because your picture is a still doesn't mean everything has to be still! Lengthen your shutter speed to blur the moving parts and put some action into your shot!

The Moment

When I was a kid I used to be fascinated by light switches and I would flip them over and over, trying to slow things down enough that I could find the exact moment when the light switched on. I really wanted to know what happened between on and off! I think most people have are curious too about that moment and capturing it on film will definitely capture your viewer's attention!

This is one of those moments! Even though the balloon is actually behind the minaret and a long way off, the silhouette makes them look level with each other and just about to collide! It's that tiny sliver of light in between the two that catches people's attention!

Vanishing Points

Have you ever stared down a long, straight and empty road and wondered how far it went? Or stared across the ocean and wondered where the end was and why you couldn't see it? That's vanishing points in a nutshell: the subject leading away from you until it simply vanishes.

Okay, so this photos was taken with a fisheye lens which helps a bit but really, you can do these kind of photos with any lens! All you need is perspective!

Look Up or Look Down

Sometimes we get so pre-occupied looking ahead that we forget there is a world above and a world below! Looking up or down can sometimes be just the thing you need!

This was actually a big art installation piece on the beach and by chance I looked up to find these amazing patters and shapes around me which made one awesome photo!

Where the Action is
Never forget that as a photographer, you are looking for the height of every moment--the point where excitement, tension, passion, movement can go no further!

This was taken at the city festival in my old town Jeomchon, in Korea. At the festival, my girls were yelling a song and flashing their jackets as they went. This of course, was the height of the moment after which they rolled their hands and flashed in the other direction--sweeping from side to side. So I waited for them to open their jackets again and yell, and there it is! The moment! That's where you take your photo! Patience and practice will teach you to anticipate those moments.


Want more? Come back on Wednesday for part 2 of composition!

The Korea I Remember: Part IV

This is Part IV in a series of photos from Korea. To see the first set, click here.

This is one of the traditional characters of Korean folk lore. I saw this cute little puppet at the Mask Dance Festival but things like this were everywhere. To read more about life in Korea, click here.

I found this boy at the Mask Dance Festival too and right after the shutter snapped he jumped and ran away! It was pretty funny but the picture came out lovely anyhow. Click here to see more photos of Korean people and what your average Korean city looked like.

Stark, just like this photo, is the mood of Seodaemun prison. Here, Koreans were tortured and imprisoned during Japanese occupation in order to silence an uprising. To read more and see more photos of this little known concentration-like prison in the middle of Seoul, click here.

Korea is a beautiful place where being outdoors is simply a joy. Just like my good friend Courtney, I too loved sticking my head out of the window as I traveled down country roads. To read more about country life and see how the farmers live, click here.

Norae bang (literally "sing room" in Korean) is an institution! These two crazy guys are a couple friends of mine who took me out for Christmas Eve so I wouldn't have to be alone. It was one crazy and hilarious night! To read more about how Koreans do karaoke and see more colorful photos from the night, click here. To see one video of these guys singing karaoke, click here. To see photos of me from earlier that night singing Christmas carols on the street with a full brass band, click here.

Koreans are masters of beautiful doors. This random shot comes from a temple door at Jiksi Temple in Gimcheon. To see videos of more random Korean stuff (fish eating the skin off your legs as a spa treatment!) click here.

 This beautiful photo was taken at Bong Eunsa Temple in Seoul. To see more photos from the templ and read about my first adventure out on my own in Seoul, click here.

The Korea I Remember: Part III

This is Part III in a series of photos from Korea. To see the first set, click here.

This was a very common sight in my town. Women were always washing vegetables on the street or drying their chilis on the sidewalk. To read more about what surprised me in Korea, click here.

Oh! Those boys! The boys high school was my favorite. They always gave me funny stories to tell. This picture comes from their physical fitness day. They all had to do tests like kids in the US but they were much stronger and more determined than US kids. To see more photos from my schools and from the fitness test, click here. To read some really funny true stories from the classroom, click here.

The Mask Dance Festival in Andong offers people a really good opportunity to see high quality performances from countries all over Asia where masks play a big part in performance art. this particular dance is Japanese I believe but impressive none the less! Click here for more photos!

Taekwando--Korea's national sport--is so much a part of their world that it's almost cultural. These guys put on this very impressive performance at the Apple Festival at Mungyeong Sae Jae and this photo in particular amazed me--I somehow capture the apple exploding just as the guy hit it! Amazing stuff! To see more amazing taekwando photos from the festival, click here, and to read more about Korean culture, click here.

This was one of the many hallways at my girls school. I always loved walking down it because it was actually suspended over the courtyard and the windows made it feel like you were flying over it all. To see more photos of what a Korean high school looks like as well as what a typical Korean school day entails, click here.

My girls school actually employed a belly dance teacher as one of the elective classes for the girls! She was by far my favorite person in Korea--wild and animated! This photo is from a performance of her students at the Apple Festival but you can read more about my experiences with belly dance (because she gave me private lessons) here.

This photos is just another from one of my photo walks around Jeomchon. To see more from my moments of photo inspiration, click here.

Near my home and on my way to school, I would pass this piece of street art drawn on the wall near a daycare. I have no idea what it says but I love it. Sometimes these little gems of everyday life would save me. To hear more about the everyday life of an English teacher in rural Korea, click here.

 I once did some more adventurous hiking near Gaeun (a sub-city within the Mungyeong network) with a teacher and his sons and found myself talking with this beautiful woman and her two beautiful Jindo dogs. These dogs are a special Korean breed and are pretty much only found in Korea. To see more photos from the day, click here. To read even more about our hiking adventure and the rescue mission that ensued (the one where we ended up in an ambulance) click here.