Sandwich Photographic Society
Mike Trahan - Composition Composition
You’ve worked at the technical steps of learning your camera and getting a correct exposure. But a real key to getting excellent pictures is good composition. We’ll cover the elements of composition and practical steps of how you actually can turn routine snapshots into outstanding photographs. It’s a deep subject but we can start you on your way!
Mike Trahan really enjoys photography and travel. Mike also has been a birder (bird watcher) and nature lover for over fifty years.
He’s a member of two Chicago Area Camera Clubs Association (CACCA) clubs, a nature-only club, Riverwoods Nature, and the Lake County Camera Club where he was a past president. He’s won honors at the club, CACCA, and Photographic Society of America levels as well as other Midwest competitions and is a past CACCA Kohout recipient for teaching nature photography.
Recap
Quick recap
The Sandwich Photographic Society meeting began with technical difficulties regarding audio equipment and discussed upcoming events, including a Civil War reenactment and a Sandwich Fair Scavenger Hunt photo critique. The club's main presentation featured Mike Trahan, who delivered an extensive program on composition techniques in photography, covering principles like subject placement, lighting, and post-processing methods. Mike shared numerous examples and practical tips throughout his presentation, emphasizing how composition, lighting, and creative techniques can significantly enhance photo quality and viewer engagement.
Next steps
Gilbert to get a $5 adapter for the microphone in time for the next meeting to fix the audio issues.
Members to submit their Sandwich Fair Scavenger Hunt photos to 411 online for the next club meeting critique.
Members to bring prints for CACA competition to the next meeting for in-house judging .
Members to submit photos for the two-club competition with Princeton by November 16th.
Members to consider participating in the two-club competition hosted by Princeton on Wednesday, November 19th.
Members to consider shooting at Shadows of Blue and Gray Civil War reenactment on October 11th-12th in Princeton.
Members to prepare photos for the May two-club competition with Princeton .
Summary
Sandwich Photographic Society Meeting Updates
The Sandwich Photographic Society meeting began with technical difficulties regarding audio equipment, which will be resolved with a $5 adapter for the next meeting. The group discussed upcoming events, including the Shadows of Blue and Gray Civil War reenactment this weekend in Princeton, where Abraham Lincoln actor Max Daniels will perform for the last time, though the night firing may be canceled due to drought conditions. The club announced their next meeting will feature a Sandwich Fair Scavenger Hunt photo critique and a two-club competition hosted by Princeton on November 19th, with entries due November 16th. Mike Trahan was introduced as the evening's speaker to present a program on composition, though technical difficulties with screen sharing delayed the start of his presentation.
Mastering Photography Composition Techniques
Mike discussed the importance of composition in photography, explaining that it makes images clearer and more understandable, and helps maintain viewer attention. He emphasized that while composition guidelines are not strict rules, they can help improve photos. Mike covered several key principles, including having a clear subject, placing it off-center for dynamic effect, and avoiding placing horizons in the middle. He also introduced various compositional techniques like the rule of thirds and the golden ratio, while noting that sometimes breaking these rules can create better results.
Enhancing Photography with Simple Techniques
Mike discussed photography techniques to improve picture quality by eliminating distractions and simplifying backgrounds. He provided examples of before and after photos, explaining how changing angles, focusing on the subject, and using diagonal lines can enhance a photo's interest. Mike emphasized the importance of isolating subjects and using natural lighting to create more engaging and high-quality images.
Mastering Photography Composition Techniques
Mike discussed photography techniques, emphasizing the importance of composition, simplifying backgrounds, and using post-processing to enhance photos. He advised moving to find better angles, cropping subjects thoughtfully, and avoiding cluttered backgrounds. Mike shared examples of successful shots, including a penguin photo and a candid of his granddaughter, highlighting the importance of planning and creativity in photography.
Mastering Photography Composition Techniques
Mike discussed photography techniques, focusing on composition and avoiding distractions like hotspots and bright colors that draw the eye away from the subject. He shared examples of his own photos, explaining how he adjusted crops and angles to improve them, and mentioned using high dynamic range (HDR) techniques in the past for better exposure. Mike also described his experience with photo critiques from camera clubs, where he received feedback on cropping and composition, and emphasized the importance of reviewing photos before moving on to ensure the best possible shot.
Mastering Photography Depth Techniques
Mike discussed various photography techniques, focusing on composition and depth. He emphasized the importance of capturing multiple elements in a scene to create a sense of depth, such as foreground, middle ground, and background. Mike also highlighted the use of leading lines, S-curves, and odd numbers of subjects to create more engaging photos. He shared examples from different locations, demonstrating how these techniques can enhance a photograph.
Mastering Wildlife and Macro Photography
Mike shared photography tips, emphasizing the importance of getting low for wildlife shots and using focus stacking for macro photography. He discussed composition techniques, including leading lines and the rule of thirds, and highlighted the impact of color contrast in photos. Mike also advised leaving extra space when shooting to allow for cropping later and emphasized that perfect shots often require post-processing.
Photography Techniques and Composition
Mike discussed photography techniques, focusing on composition, color, patterns, textures, and the use of monochrome. He shared various examples of his photos, explaining how he captured and processed them to highlight these elements. Sandwich pointed out a bald eagle in one of Mike's mountain photos, which Mike appreciated. Jennifer asked about a tip for predicting how a color photo would look in black and white, and Mike confirmed that squinting can help focus on textures and patterns.
Mastering Photography Lighting Techniques
Mike presented a comprehensive overview of photography lighting techniques, covering topics such as golden hour, backlit shots, flash photography, and working with different light conditions. He shared practical tips for improving photos, including using reflectors, adjusting exposure compensation, and creating clean backgrounds. Mike emphasized the importance of considering lighting when composing shots and suggested experimenting with various techniques to enhance photos.
