Scott Kelby's Crush the Composition

[Realist]

So I decided to type the word "photography" into youtube today, and this video looked interesting. I sat down for an hour to watch it, and it was a very inspiring and reassuring video. It doesn't teach you how to use a camera and doesn't teach you just the rules of photography, but the process that photography is. I have to say it's nice to know that professional photographers take lots of bad shots before they get a good one. I know I go through a process of trial and error every time I shoot just as he's describing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpHMuK7Htic

[Iguanasan]

Thanks for the tip. I'll load it onto my iPod for the bus ride to work tomorrow morning.

[jude01]

I love Scott Kelby, his books are great. He has such a funny sense of humor and I have learned a lot from him. I'll watch this tomorro.

[missyinmuskoka]

Someone from Scott Kelby's team is doing a one day photoshop crash course in Toronto on Wednesday if anyone lives in Toronto and is interested. here is the link
Toronto, ON | KelbyTraining.com (http://kelbytraining.com/event/toronto-on-3/?gclid=cnh8rzrz6rccfyef4aodylcaha)

[JAS_Photo]

Y'all know how I feel about Scott Kelby already. :)

[theantiquetiger]

Just finished watching it, thanks it was great and informative!!!

[Iguanasan]

I've got 27 minutes left.... great information but I'm hoping he ties it all together in the last half hour. :fingerscr

[Realist]

Glad everyone liked it, I was just glad because it was a refreshing change from all the other how-to videos.

[Iguanasan]

I finished it on the way home. I liked the first bit but I didn't like the rest. He starts out saying that we haven't done enough for composition over the years. With sarcasm he says leading lines, rule of thirds and shapes/patterns and, bang, your done. Congrats, you have everything you need to know about composition.

Then he starts to go on about how you have to work the scene but he never really provides any deeper insight into composition. I agree that you have to work a scene. That information was very pertinent. But he didn't really talk about the composition of those shots.. what made them better. It all came down to what he liked. He'd scan through a bunch of images and say... "No. No. No. No way. No. And that's the one you finish in Photoshop." Why was that the one you finish in Photoshop? That's what I wanted to hear him talk about for the last half hour. What makes the last one in the set better than the others? In a couple of cases he alluded to distracting elements but like the picket fence in the lighthouse shot the distracting elements were very freakin' obvious and that's not always the case. I just felt like he missed an opportunity to take composition to the next level.

Maybe he doesn't really know himself.

[Realist]

Maybe he doesn't really know himself.

Well I'm not sure anyone really knows the secret to why something is better than something else. You can't put a formula like rules of composition and automatically get a good shot. Art is not a science, and I think that art is something people will never fully understand.

[Iguanasan]

Well I'm not sure anyone really knows the secret to why something is better than something else. You can't put a formula like rules of composition and automatically get a good shot. Art is not a science, and I think that art is something people will never fully understand.

I pretty much agree with your assessment which is why I said "Maybe he doesn't really know, himself.". I just found it disconcerting that he didn't really come out and say that. He started off with the statement that we teach composition the same way we did 100 years ago and alluded to the fact that there is more to know than the standard old "rules" but then he never really came up with anything new.

[Realist]

I pretty much agree with your assessment which is why I said "Maybe he doesn't really know, himself.". I just found it disconcerting that he didn't really come out and say that. He started off with the statement that we teach composition the same way we did 100 years ago and alluded to the fact that there is more to know than the standard old "rules" but then he never really came up with anything new.


I see your point now. He was playing it off that he had more information than he presented. Maybe we should make another rule of composition then.

Rule number 6. "Does it look good." lol

[JAS_Photo]

I do not think he was saying he had "new rules". I think he was saying that instead of showing the rules in a static way, (i.e. A white picket fence leading to a farm to illustrate "leading lines"), he wanted to use a more dynamic approach and show how he worked a subject. His main point being, "work the subject". Your eye catches something in a scene, but it may take a few tries to get it in the camera in a pleasing way. So while you are working the subject, you need to keep in mind your basic rules of composition and compose and eliminate distractions until you get that one shot that says "This is it!" The eureka moment so to speak. Most photographers don't say I am going to get a really good photo of the Golden Gate Bridge today and are lucky enough to get it. The Golden Gate bridge is not that easy. So you have to go out there and work it. And maybe today is not your day for the Golden Gate bridge so you have to go out again and again. And maybe, maybe you will "get it" and maybe the weather gods will be on your side. Nothing is easy.

I attended a seminar with Joe McNally a couple of years ago. When he sets up his lighting scenarios he has a good idea what he has in mind, he just has to do it. He has his camera tethered to his laptop so as an audience we can see his shots. And yes even he, he who is the master of capturing a certain je ne sais quoi, the personality, the gesture, goes through several shots to get to what he is looking for. But he does get there. A good deal of that is from practice, knowing his craft and undoubtedly a part of that is most likely inate; a natural knack.
You want to learn how to make great photos? Take a look at great art. The 8 Elements of Composition -- Art Glossary Definition (http://painting.about.com/od/artglossaryc/g/defcomposition.htm)

One of my favourite all time photos by Jay Maisel. Why is this photo so great?

Print Portfolio | Jay Maisel Photography (http://studio.jaymaisel.com/collections/portfolio)

I just saw this on 500px:

500px / Photo "casual 4am walks." by Josh Sam (http://500px.com/photo/12875447)

Golden Gate Bridge:

http://500px.com/photo/835071

http://500px.com/photo/4592113

http://500px.com/photo/13203911

http://500px.com/photo/20607769

http://500px.com/photo/32546969

[mbrager]

Thanks for the link to what I thought was a very interesting informative talk. I liked what he said about using a tripod after you "work the scene" and work the settings. Lots of good common sense advice.