People who love photography are truly enviable.
In their eyes, everything is beautiful.
In their lives, surprises abound everywhere.
In their view,
Taking photos is not for checking in, not for posting on social media.
And just for the sake of enjoyment, it becomes an instinct.
This is the attitude that a photographer should have.
Among the readers of Traveler, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Today, let me introduce another person to you: @ Lanzi.
In "Recommended Works", I often select her photos to share with everyone.
@Lanzi's photos usually lack large and beautiful scenery, nor cool and dazzling patterns.
Yes, it's just real life. What she sees, what she experiences, what she loves
However, it is within these ordinary qualities that one can glimpse the most basic qualities that a photographer should possess.
Photography is certainly an art that requires creativity, but from a broad perspective, it still follows patterns.
@Lanzi usually sends a lot of photos, and I am trying to categorize and organize them, hoping to sort out her "tricks" for everyone to enjoy.
Today, let's talk about five basics. I hope everyone can have some insights from them.
1. Taking bold photos is the foundation
Get up close and capture unknown moments.
This is a commonality among all excellent street photography works.
Shooting strangers without permission may be impolite, so many people feel conflicted during filming.
But this is also a hurdle that photography can never bypass.
Only natural photos have more impact.
Moreover, most people actually don't mind becoming the model in your camera.
In fact, sometimes when you take a generous photo or give the other person a friendly smile, the response you receive is often well intentioned.
Relaxing and bold shooting is the foundation of a good photo.
2. The intersection of light and shadow is the most dramatic
Of course, boldly taking photos is just the first step. With the subject in mind, what you need to understand next is how to utilize light and shadow.
Light and shadow are the techniques that @ Lanzi is best at using.
Generally speaking, a place where light and dark intersect has shooting value.
So, as I have always emphasized. Finding a suitable shooting scene is actually more surprising than finding a suitable shooting subject.
By observing these photos, you should notice that although there are people and objects present, they are more of an element in the picture.
And the most attractive aspect of these photos is the atmosphere under bright and dark lighting.
So, in the initial stage of photography, there is substance in words: there are people, scenery, and objects. You are you, I am me.
In the advanced stage, people, scenery, and objects are integrated, with me in you and you in me.
3. Borrowing scenery to create "emotions"
@What initially attracted me to Lanzi's photos was that she always used street objects to shape stories, such as billboards.
Various billboards, standing on the streets, seem to have no shooting value to most people.
However, when you add passersby to it, there is a connection between them and the billboard, creating a plot.
So, photographers not only need to be able to press the shutter, but also need to be able to design scripts.
The angle of billboard shooting and the size of pedestrians need to be flexibly adjusted according to different scenes.
You can shoot flat
You can shoot diagonally
Can be enlarged
You can take small photos
Shadows also have a different flavor
These photos look clever.
In fact, the truth behind it is nothing more than the four words "combining people and scenery".
Light and shadow are like this, so is the scene.
4. Learn to wait
How were these photos taken?
Why is someone so lucky to encounter such clever scenes and suitable people?
This cannot be simply attributed to luck.
In fact, a necessary condition for street photography is "patience".
When encountering a suitable scene, one should know how to wait.
Especially when combined with the photos above. When you find a suitable light, shadow, or background, then you should have the spirit of waiting for the rabbit and try to take as many photos as possible.
Then, choose the best among the best, and if lucky, you may get more than one satisfactory work.
This set of photos was clearly taken in the same scene.
5. Color sorting
It is said that photos need to have a subject, but sometimes your photos can have a clear theme instead of a clear subject.
For example, color
Upon closer inspection of this photo, it's hard to say what she's trying to convey.
However, at first glance, you can clearly feel the contrast of blue, red, and white color blocks in the picture.
For example, this person's feet are quite abstract, but what you see is the beauty of lines and colors.
Sorting out colors is certainly not an easy task.
The simplest way is actually to do subtraction.
Take fewer colors in, there is a differentiated contrast.
That will make it clear at a glance.
In fact, the five points mentioned above are also what I often remind everyone in push notifications.
However, combined with the photos, it may be another experience.
I don't know how much you have learned.