RULES OF PHOTOGRAPHY
What is the Rule of Thirds?
Dividing your frame into a 3x3 grid
and placing the subject along the lines or intersections for better balance and interest.
What does aperture control in a photograph?
The size of the lens opening, which affects light and depth of field.
What does shutter speed control in a photograph?
The amount of time the camera’s sensor is exposed to light — it controls motion and exposure.
A runner is moving toward you in BRIGHT daylight. What shutter speed NUMBER would you choose to FREEZE the runner?
WHY?
1/500 or faster.
Why? --> To reduce motion blur.
True or False — The background should blur in a panning shot.
TRUE
What’s one way to create leading lines in a photo?
Use roads, fences, shadows, or objects that GUIDE the viewer’s eye toward the subject.
True or False — f/2.8 gives you more depth of field than f/16.
False — f/2.8 gives you less depth of field (blurrier background).
Which is faster: 1/1000 or 1/30?
1/1000 is faster.
Name one type of subject that works well for freeze photography.
Sports, jumping, splashing water, animals in motion
You want a cyclist SHARP against a BLURRY background.
What technique would you use?
What should the camera follow?
Extra: What is pre-focus?
Panning
Follow the cyclist smoothly.
Pre-focus- Focusing on the subject as I follow to get the cyclist sharp/crispy.
A photo has a lot of empty space around the subject. What rule is that using?
Rule of Space OR
Use of Negative Space
You want a blurry background for a portrait. Which f-stop works best?
A wide aperture, such as f/1.8, f/2.8, or f/4.
5.6 is too high.
What type of photo works best with a slow shutter speed?
Motion blur photos — e.g., waterfalls, light trails, or panning shots.
How can you get motion blur in bright light without overexposing the photo?
Use a smaller aperture (high f-number), lower ISO
When panning, how should the camera move relative to the subject?
Move smoothly, following the subject’s motion across the frame
“The subject is between a doorway.” or "The tree branches in the foreground surround the mountain in the background"
Which composition rule is that?
Framing — using elements in the scene to frame the subject.
What happens to the lens opening? (2 PART ANSWER)
How will the background change?
OPENING gets LARGER at 2.8, MORE LIGHT.
Background will be BLURRY.
You want to freeze a runner in midair. What kind of shutter speed do you need?
A fast shutter speed, usually 1/500 sec or faster.
Name one creative way to show motion blur with vehicles at night.
Capture car light trails using a long exposure (slow shutter) and tripod
In a panning photo, which should appear sharp? What should show motion blur?
Moving Subject should be SHARP
Background should show PANNING STREAKS or MOTION BLUR.
Why would a photographer break a composition rule on purpose?
To create tension, draw attention, or tell a stronger story; rules can be broken creatively once understood.
Here's the scene: Mountains in the background, in the foreground are tree branches. The tree branches are CLOSE to your lens.
1. What happens to the object (branches) when you place the object close to your lens?
2. What depth of field is this creating in the FOREGROUND(FG)? BACKGROUND(BG)?
1. The object becomes blurry.
2. Shallow FG, Deep DOF background
You take a photo of a skateboarder at 1/60, and the image is blurry. You still want motion blur in the background but want the skater sharp. What should you do?
Use the panning technique — follow the subject’s motion while using a medium shutter speed (around 1/30–1/60) so the background blurs and the subject stays sharp.
You’re shooting a busy street at 1/20 sec, and want to keep the MOTION BLUR. But the image is overexposed... Name two adjustments that could reduce exposure without changing the shutter speed.
Shutter must stay at 1/20. You must change ___ & ___.
Use a smaller aperture opening (AKA higher f-number),
AND lower ISO
Define each.
Motion Blur- moving subject is intentionally blurred to convey a sense of movement or speed, using a slow shutter speed
Panning-where the camera moves with a subject to keep it sharp while blurring the background, creating a sense of motion