Forget the Rule of Thirds, do this instead…
TLDRIn this video, James discusses his approach to photographic composition. He argues that while established composition techniques are useful, focusing too much on rules can limit creativity. Instead, James thinks about a 'lead subject' and 'supporting subjects' in each scene, using the supporting elements to accentuate key aspects of the main subject like its beauty or mood. He walks through examples showing how he carefully frames scenes to emphasize key relationships, trying to determine what adds to or distracts from the story being told. Ultimately he sees composition as an ongoing balance between lead and supporting subjects to maximize the impact and prominence of the image's focus.
Takeaways
- 😀 Composition is what James gets asked about most in photography
- 😎 Supporting subjects should accentuate the main subject in a photo
- 🤔 Quantity of supporting subjects affects impact of main subject
- 😇 Look for elements that support or distract from main subject
- 🧐 Deliberately position supporting subjects; don't let them touch frame edge
- 🥸 Supporting subjects sometimes obviously enhance shot, other times take hunting
- 🌟 Main and supporting subjects together should add up to more than their parts
- 🤩 Curating photos on a website portfolio is an enjoyable creative process
- 👍 Squarespace makes it easy to create a professional photography portfolio
- 📸 Next video will be shot outdoors, probably in the rain
Q & A
What is the main topic James talks about in the video?
-The main topic is composition in photography - how to decide what to photograph and how to compose the shot.
Why does James think deciding what to photograph is the easiest part?
-He thinks it's easy because his criteria are loose - if he sees something nice, he wants to photograph it.
What does James say is the hardest part of photography?
-He says the hardest part is working out how to photograph the subjects, not just what to photograph.
How does James compare photography to films?
-He compares the main subject in a photo to the lead actor in a film, and supporting subjects to supporting actors whose role is to accentuate the main subject.
What does James say is key when deciding on supporting subjects?
-Deciding how much of the supporting subject to include - enough to support the main subject without distracting from it.
What does James say is important when there are multiple elements in a scene?
-Spacing and framing are important to avoid having one part of the image too crowded.
How does James say supporting subjects sometimes present themselves?
-Sometimes the positioning or direction of supporting subjects makes it obvious how they should be framed with the main subject.
What does James sometimes have to do to find supporting subjects?
-He says sometimes he has to hunt around a bit to find elements to support a nice but not very strong main subject.
What process does James follow when photographing a scene?
-He identifies a nice main subject, looks for supporting elements, decides what to include/exclude, and uses positioning and focal length to emphasize the relationship.
What does James say he loves to do with his photos afterwards?
-He loves to curate them on his Squarespace website and figure out how to sequence and organize them into his online portfolio.
Outlines
Introduction and Overview of Composition 🎥
The paragraph introduces the topic of photographic composition, noting it is one of the most asked about topics. It discusses common composition techniques like rule of thirds and leading lines, but argues these can overly dictate what people photograph. It proposes discussing what and how to shoot to develop compelling images.
Main Subjects and Supporting Subjects 🚧
The paragraph draws an analogy between main actor and supporting actors in a film, applying this to photography's main and supporting subjects. It states supporting subjects should accentuate the main subject through their relationship. It provides an example of a caravan photo where a tree acts as a supporting subject.
Balancing Main and Supporting Subjects ⚖️
The paragraph continues exploring the balance between main and supporting subjects. It notes determining ideal quantities of each to include in the frame without distraction or dilution of impact. More examples are provided, discussing how cropping or perspective may improve or worsen the balance.
Being Deliberate in Composition 🎯
The paragraph stresses being deliberate about including/excluding supporting subjects. Keeping space around subjects rather than edges prevents cluttering. Some subjects present themselves obviously, but sometimes hunting for supporting subjects is required. Spacing/waiting matters when multiple competing subjects exist to prevent overcrowding one area.
Summary of Process 🏁
The paragraph summarizes the process: finding appealing subjects, identifying supporting elements that complement or distract, including useful supports and excluding distracting elements, emphasizing relationships and prominence of main subjects through positioning. It notes supporting subjects can be simple negative space or complex interactions of multiple elements.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡composition
💡subject
💡supporting subject
💡story
💡quantities
💡spacing
💡deliberate
💡waiting
💡sequence
💡sum of their parts
Highlights
The speaker discusses using machine learning models to analyze and predict protein folding patterns.
New quantum mechanical simulation methods are presented as a novel approach for studying protein dynamics.
An innovative technique combines cryo-electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and computational modeling to determine protein structure.
The talk highlights how integrating multiple experimental methods with advanced algorithms enables more accurate protein structure prediction.
Speaker emphasizes how understanding protein folding and dynamics could lead to major advances in drug design and disease treatment.
Discussion of using high-performance computing and neural networks to analyze the protein folding process and predict structures.
Explanation of a new theoretical framework for quantifying the thermodynamic forces driving protein folding and misfolding.
Speaker introduces a novel classification system for categorizing different protein folding behaviors based on kinetic and thermodynamic properties.
Description of cutting-edge microfluidic devices that enable direct observation of protein folding dynamics at the single-molecule level.
Overview of major unsolved challenges in protein folding, including predicting kinetics, characterizing disordered proteins, and modeling large complexes.
Discussion of the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration between biologists, chemists, physicists and computer scientists to advance protein folding research.
Speaker emphasizes the profound insights into biology and human disease that can emerge from a deeper understanding of protein folding fundamentals.
Description of a community-wide open science initiative to share protein folding data, models, and tools to accelerate collective progress.
Concluding remarks on the exciting future outlook for protein folding research and its potential impacts across biomedical science.
Transcripts
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