Photo Tips from Pey-Jing: Tip #24 Form
Form is another element of art. Form is, simply put, three-dimensional. When photographing, the idea is to capture a three-dimensional subject and output it two-dimensionally. However, a great photographer makes their two-dimensional artwork look three-dimensional. Take Ansel Adams, for instance. Below, in his photograph Banner Peak and Thousand Island Lake, the mountains in his photographs don’t look flat, but seem to have the illusion of form. A well-shot photograph will give the illusion of form even though it’s output is two-dimensional.
“How is this done?,” you may ask. Light is the key. Always observe the light carefully when photographing. If you are taking a portrait, analyze how the light plays on your subject, how it wraps around your subject. If you are taking a landscape, be aware of where the sun is and how it is illuminating your scene. The more conscious you are of the light, the better your photographs will be.
