Photo Assignment #1: Rule of thirds & Golden Mean

Hello dyxum friends!

From now on, Dyxum Critics Corner forum will also be home of the Dyxum Photographic Assignments. With these assignments we will learn by trying to complete a given task, and also by seeing how different photographers interpret a given topic. I suggest both our experienced and newbie photographers to do the assignments, this is not a newbie-only learning course. Everyone may gain new experiences by trying to shoot an idea that they didn't come up with first. It will contradict your established style, and this is where learning really begins!

Basic Rules (updated once, subject to future changes)

- No previously shot pictures. You must shoot exclusively for the assignment, with the assignment in your mind. In short, no old shots that luckily fit the topic.

- Update: the rule limiting max entries per member to two is now removed. You can submit as many entries as you want.

- No votes, no winners. What you win is to get critique and to see how others interpreted the same topic.

- Apart from this, all assignments will have their specific rules.

Assignment #1: Rule of thirds and Golden Mean

This assignment is about two compositional methods, Rule Of Thirds and Golden Mean. They are proven to be a good starting point to gain composition skills. But they are nowhere near the end of the search for the perfect picture, so don't stick to them always. The real point of this task is to look for a pre-defined composition in the environment around you. I suggest you read this great source about the rules. If you are confident that you know about them enough, you may skip this stage.

You will shoot a picture using the Rule of Thirds or Golden Mean, or a combination of both. No studio shots/no interfering with the subjects. You must not change the natural layout of the scene. No cropping is allowed.

From this point (20 May 2008) those taking part in our Assignments can choose their own sequence of completion, but a pass in your "current" assignment is needed before moving to your next choice.

NOTE: If you want to set yourself a personal challenge, you can still do them in the numbered order -- the prizemoney
does not increase, but the satisfaction when finished will be greater.

Edited by brettania - 04 November 2008 at 10:45

This challenge really made me regret wasteing so much time on lenses and technology whilst my eyes were being left to moulder! I'm finding this really hard - but here goes!
KMD5, Tamron 55-200. f 4.5 ISO1600, 55mm 1/25


I've tried to indicate my thinking about composition - drawing the eye - I hope - towards the one spot of pristine beach in this urban beach resort: Pattaya, Thailand.
Processing: Noise Ninja, LCE and sharpening
This is the original - without the lines:


Edited by PeterP - 12 June 2007 at 05:51

Peter - thanks for jumping in ! Saratoga ... these assignments are going to vary in nature from composition to technique to artistic but our hope is that many of the members who feel intimidated by the competitions will see these assignments as the place to join in and play and learn. I expect that many of the more experience photogs will skip some of these assignments and concentrate on the contests, since there's really nothing to win or lose here ... just an exercise to help you develop !

Peter - would you mind editing your post to include a copy of your photo without the lines ?

CTYankee wrote: Peter - would you mind editing your post to include a copy of your photo without the lines ?

Done! It's bit bigger - I'm quite proud of the result given 1/25 and ISO1600.

Thanks Peter ... easier for me to decide for myself if I agree with your analysis w/o the lines (and I do :) Nice use of rule of thirds up at the horizon (not the actual horizon which is placed higher, but the broad line of buildings which is centered around the upper 1/3). And the curves formed by the upper shoreline, beach and road at bottom, then back up along road to right and back to buildings allow a natural path for your eye to move along and take in all the scene while still being drawn to the beach in the center. (I think the relative brightness of the subject helps with that, too).

Nice frame Craig! The fonts are nice. Of course the image too.

Edited by Sanjuro - 14 June 2007 at 15:15

Craig

Eight ninths of your shot really does nothing for me.

That means I see a lot of wasted space.